I Will Not Break
by Charlotte Clark
Summary: What would happen if Sookie found herself in a vulnerable situation...with no one to protect her? This is a step back from my usual style of writing, I guess you could call it an experiment. **Rated M for a very adult subject matter**
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N- This is a M rated story. If you are unable to read stories of a sexually violent nature, this is not the story for you. I decided to step away from my usual style of writing and explore different area's. Again, do not read this story if you can not tolerate violent, nonconsensual sex. Thanks **_

My name is Sookie Northman. I am a newlywed, having been married for ten months. My husband is the very powerful, very protective Sheriff of Area 5. In case you were wondering, Area 5 is my little corner of Louisiana. It is a community of vampire politics. My husband is Eric Northman.

I am a telepath. I can read the minds of humans and Supes, but for some reason I can't read vamp minds. That is the only thing that has kept me alive this long. That, and my husband. Not only am I a telepath, but I am also part Fae. That's right, I am also part Fairy. I'm sure you can guess that I lead quite an extraordinary life.

My name is Sookie Northman and I am being held against my will. I am in danger, please…if anyone can hear me…I need help! I lost count about four days in to my captivity. The last thing I remember was shopping. I was grocery shopping. I was walking my cart full of groceries to my car.

It was a beautiful day. The sun was so warm and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I remember feeling the sun on my face and smelling the beginning of spring. I was placing the bags in my car, happy to be done so quickly. I hate grocery shopping. I caught a thought…fuzzy, black. It was from the mind of a shifter. I felt a pain in my head, and everything went black.

I lost count about four days in…I'm dirty and I'm hungry and I'm sore. My tormentor is a shifter, his thoughts are not coming in clear to me. Mostly he is thinking about hurting me further. I can feel my love searching for me.

He is searching for me and I am being drugged. My body is numb and I can't feel my emotions. I am trying desperately to call out to my husband, but I can't concentrate. My eyes look like a wild animal's. They are searching for the slightest movement, hoping that I am imagining things, and not that he is coming back in for me.

After the first couple of times my body has become numb to his abuses. I know that he will be quick, he will be unemotional, he will be forceful. The shifter holding me against my will is brief, but he is very good at inflicting pain.

At first he will slap me, hard and authoritative. Next he will force me to the ground and he will bang my head against the floor. The concrete slab of a floor is merciless and cold. It is at this point that I have quickly learned not to fight back, it only causes him to slam my head into the floor more.

He liked it when I was putting up a fight, it apparently turned him on more. It is best for me to just act as though I am passed out. God, my body aches to lose consciousness. I silently cry, praying that he will be done quickly. As it has become routine, after my head hit's the floor, he is slamming himself into me. He is unrelenting as he thrusts his half erect member inside of me.

I can feel every pump, I can feel his hand cover my mouth in order to prevent my cries. I can feel my body tense and cause the pain to be more intrusive. Please, God…just let my mind go dark. I feel as he finishes, his warm poison flowing into my body and spilling onto my flesh. Like every other time, he climbs off of my body, zips his pants, and to prove his dominance, he kicks me as I lay crumpled on the floor.

He takes a syringe and injects a drug that is keeping my mind from calling out to anyone that can save me. I feel like I am drunk, I feel like I have the flu. My body can not take this much longer. I am weak from not eating, I am weak from his torture.

I pray that I can take the easy way out, that one of these times my head will crack on the concrete. My blood and my life flowing out onto the cold, gray floor. That would be too easy. I want my husband, I want my Bonded. I want to call desperately to him. I can't, I try…no noise, no thoughts enter my brain.

I must fight. I must save myself. I need to be strong enough to fight against the drug that is keeping me so incapacitated. The world around me is moving in slow motion, as though everything is on a delay.

My body is so cold, I was stripped of my clothes the day I was brought here. The only thing in this god forsaken room is something that resembles a toilet. It looks medieval, it is disgusting. It is a harsh reminder of my whereabouts. My legs couldn't hold my body up long enough to even use this.

For now I will wait, I will plan, I will dream of beautiful things. I will not give up. I will not break. I will find my way back to my life, my husband, my friends. I know that they are searching for me, I know they are scared. Just a little longer, I can take it just a little longer.

My tormentor enters the room again, only this time he is holding something. What does he have? I am to weak and tired to read his mind. He doesn't come through clear anyway, mostly dark images of what he has done, or plans to do to me. Sometimes that is more horrifying than the actual act itself.

What does he have? He walks to me, sneering down as he watches me tremble and shake on the ground. He grabs a handful on my hair and he yanks me to a standing position. My body screams in pain, it is searing through every muscle. He holds my head by the hair and slaps me with the other hand. My head falls back, I am too weak to try and fight.

Next I get a very clear, very scary image. I know what he is holding and I know that he plans on violating me in a way that I prayed wouldn't happen. I feel the ice cold, steel blade press against my neck. Please, drag it across my throat and end this.

I would have no such reprise. Like usual, I am slammed to the ground, head bouncing off the floor. His usual, half erect penis is at full attention. He is excited about his plans for me. That might be the most frightening part of this ordeal.

I brace myself for what it too come. Crying and shaking as I feel him reach down and turn the knife towards my center. Instead of the steel of the blade, I feel the strong, wide handle attached to this blade.

I feel him plunge the handle end of the knife into my body, he has decided this is best used as a weapon of sodomy. My body has never felt a pain such as this. I can't help it, I scream in pain. He laughs, this urges him on. I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping this will block my mind and my memory of what is happening.

Something inside of me snaps. I don't know why, I don't know how, but something took over. I screamed and I screamed, I felt my arms fly up. He was not expecting any sort of strength from my weakened body. I catch the side of his head with my fist and knock him off of me, taking the knife with him.

He is stunned, I need to take advantage of this. I quickly crawl to my feet, pushing my body to move. This is my only chance of survival, I can not let the pain take over. I feel my leg move swiftly as I kick him squarely between the thighs. He cries out as he must now taste his balls in the back of his throat.

He has lost control of the situation, he is unsure whether he should kill me, or punish me for my sudden outburst. It is too late, I have summoned the very last bit of hope and energy I have. I bring my knee to his head and hear him drop the knife accidentally.

With the grace of a falcon, I scoop the knife up. I feel the heaviness of it as I grip my fingers around it. The knife is still warm from being in his hands, and being manipulated into my body.

I don't think, all I feel is the solidity of this blade. I swing my arm above my head and bring the knife down. I plunge it into the side of his neck, hearing his flesh tear as it cuts through his body. The blood that sprays from his neck feels hot against my freezing, naked body. It is like a blanket covering me, enveloping me in it's warmth.

I pull the knife back and bring it down again, this time making sure to pierce his chest. I want him to suffer the way I have suffered. I only wish his pain was prolonged and drawn out, just as mine had been.

He slumps to the ground, blood pouring from his wounds. He is dead, completely and totally dead. I feel nothing. I look at his body, happy to have saved another woman my fate. Just to show my dominance, I kick him as he dies.

I turn my eyes to the door. Freedom, it is the most beautiful thing I have seen. I drag my beaten and bloodied body to that escape, the gateway to my life. I have no idea what day it is, if it is night or day. I can only hope that it is night, I need to feel my husband.

I care nothing about the fact that I am naked. I walk through the door, afraid that as soon as I place my foot on the outside I will be attacked and beaten back inside. I crouch quietly as I muster enough courage move through the doorway. There is nothing, no one waiting for me. It is dark, it seems like a hallway. I feel my way along the wall, silently wishing I could run.

Another door, it is also unlocked. I turn the knob and hold my breath, it makes the loudest creaking noise I have ever heard. It could be my mind being overly sensitive, but that noise must have been heard for miles. I feel the very cool night air nip my body, it is night. I stumble outside, onlookers are staring at me. I am bombarded with their hideous thoughts. No one knows what to do, so they just gawk at me.

Finally a man with enough sense to help me calls 911. My legs finally give out as all of the adrenaline floods out of my body. I feel myself fall to the ground, the sidewalk somehow feels more comfortable than the concrete floor of my prison. My voice is barely audible, my throat is dry and raw from crying and screaming and not having any water. The man leans down and covers me with his coat. I look at him with appreciative eyes. I can't even squeak out a 'Thank You'. Instead all I can say is, 'Northman'.

I hear the screeching of the police siren, it sounds like it is a world away. The voices around me are echoing in my head. I can see their lips moving, but the sound is not with their words. It looks like a bad video relay, when someone is lip-synching, but off by a second.

Suddenly, my feeling begins to change. I am no longer cold, I am no longer afraid. He has felt me, he knows where I am. My mind was alert enough to call for him. The drug is wearing off. He will be with me soon, I can feel it. He is pushing all sorts of emotions through our bond. Relief, rage, sadness, love. He is preparing himself for what he will find.

The man that has covered me with his coat is keeping onlookers away. It is not everyday you see a bloody, naked, blond woman laying on the city street, covered my a man's overcoat.

The police speed to the scene, I hear their tires screech to a stop before us. I hear one of the men call for a bus. It is my experience to know that a bus in these instances is not a big, yellow school vehicle… it is an ambulance.

The police officer walks over to me, cautiously stepping as he can see my mental state is quite volatile. Warmth, it is becoming warmer. Soon, he will be here soon. The problem is I don't even know where "here" is. I can only go on instinct that he has felt me.

Just as I thought the words, I felt it. His presence, he was with me. I didn't have the energy to turn and look at him. I was too afraid to see the way he was looking at me. He could smell me, he could smell my captor…all of him. The police officer bent down and looked in my eyes. He smiled softly, trying to convince me that he was a safe person.

"Miss, everything is going to be ok. We're gonna git you to a hospital. You're safe now, we're gonna help you. Can you tell me your name? Do you know who did this to you?" The police office was using his best inside voice.

"S Soo…Sookie." I could barely get the words out. I picked up my hand and pointed towards the door that I walked out of moments ago. Eric saw me motion to the door and disappeared inside before the police even saw him move.

I knew that when he saw the body of my captor he would be both relieved and angry. He would have enjoyed doing to this man what he had done to me. He would have taken great pleasure in torturing him, violating his body in ways not even his mind would have thought possible.

Eric breathed in the air of my prison cell. He could smell my blood, my tears, my sweat, my body. The scent alone told him everything that had happened to me. His body trembled as he witnessed the horror that I had lived through. He looked at the bloody heap on the floor.

He saw the knife that I used to kill him, he could smell my body on it, mixed with his blood. He picked the knife up and drove it into the body. He was already dead, but the act alone made him release a slight amount of rage. He knew he needed to get out, he could hear the detectives coming in.

I was being loaded into the back of the ambulance. I looked around for him, afraid to be left alone, afraid to be taken somewhere by strangers. He saw my wild eyes and was beside me in an instant. He had not yet spoken a word, he was unable to voice what he was feeling.

My body ached as it shifted when they pushed the stretcher into the truck. I winced as I felt every pain so immensely. The siren blared as we pulled away from the curb, speeding towards the hospital. I felt his hand rest on mine. He took my hand in his and laced his fingers through mine. I finally felt the tears escape my eyes. I was not dreaming, he was really there.

"Eric…" A whisper was all I could get out of my mouth.

"Ssh, do not talk. Do not waste your precious energy on words. I am here my love." He touched his fingers to my lips. He almost pulled back as he felt the cracked, chapped skin of my lips. I closed my eyes and thanked God I was alive.

Nurses and doctors bustled around me. I felt a sharp stick as they drove an IV into my vein. They needed to get me hydrated quickly. Normally, I would have passed on the hospital trip and allowed Eric to heal me. This time was different, strangers had found me and the police were called. I needed to go through the motions, even though I knew Eric was seething with their medical care.

Warming blankets were tossed over my body. I was cocooned in polyester blend, microwavable warmth. At that moment in time it felt wonderful. A nurse looked at me, I could see the pity in her eyes. She has seen so many like me…beaten, bloody, violated. She brushed the hair away from my face, I instinctively flinched. She knew the reason and she reassured me with her words that she would not harm me.

Eric sat in a chair in the corner, not sure if he should cradle me and fly us home, or allow the doctors to care for me the best way they knew how. He watched as the medical staff came and went from my room. I could feel his disgust, if they only knew what his blood could do to help me.

When I was finally on my way to hydrated, given medication for the pain, and a sedative to calm me down, a detective was allowed to enter. She was young, too young to look as hard as she did. She had done this too many times already. I heard her thoughts, I was still to tired and weak to shield. I heard her think about all of the other women that she had seen like me. I heard her remember her own tragedy fifteen years ago. This was the reason she worked this job. She was not only doing it for the victim's, she was doing it for herself.

"Hi Sookie, my name is Jennifer. I'm detective Jennifer Rice, I want to help you. Are you able to talk with me for a few minutes?" Her voice was so soft as she approached me. She knew that it could be very possibly that I would become hysterical and seek shelter inside of my mind.

"It's nice to meet you." I was still a southern girl that was brought up with manners, even in the most difficult of situations. "He is dead, I killed him." There was no point in my trying to hide what everyone already knew. I felt Eric tense next to me as he heard my words, so cold, so distant.

"I know Sookie, the detectives found him. I know that you had to do it, in order to get away. I know it was self defense, we are not looking to press any charges. I'm here to help figure out how this happened, and if he is responsible for other attacks in the area." She smiled at me, making sure I knew that I wasn't in trouble. "A nurse is going to come in here and perform an exam. We need to do this to collect as much evidence as possible. If it's ok with you, we're also going to take some pictures." She waited for my response.

I instantly began crying as I thought of some stranger snapping photo's of my body. I wanted to forget everything, yet they wanted to capture it on film. Eric felt my shame and came to my side. He smoothed my matted hair and kissed my head. He understood that I needed to feel safe and protected.

"Sookie, is it ok if I send the nurse and the medical photographer in?" The detective was keeping with her calm, self assuring demeanor.

As a cheek slid down my bruised face, I nodded my head. "I'm ready, I can do it." I was trying to convince myself that I was speaking the truth.

"Do you want your husband to step outside of the room, would you like a little more privacy?" I had to think about that. I wanted Eric beside me, comforting me, supporting me. But, I could not handle the idea of him actually seeing my body. Seeing what another man had done to me. I hated the idea of him seeing my body, battered and hurt.

"No, he can stay." I needed him more than I needed my pride. I watched as the nurse entered the room, carrying a sealed medical kit. It was the same nurse that had looked at me earlier through pitying eyes. She had a mask on now, covering her mouth and her nose. I watched her as she motioned for me shimmy my way to the end of the bed. It was difficult because of the pain, Eric guided me and helped me.

"Sookie, I am going to try and not hurt you. If you need me to stop at any time just say so. I'm going to attempt to collect as much evidence as possible. Just relax, try not to think about what I'm doing. I'm going to touch you now, ok?" She knew all to well how to approach a victim of this violent crime.

I felt her guide my knee's, allowing them to fall open. The position was painful and embarrassing. I was unable to block her thoughts. I couldn't avoid them if money had been put on me.

_Oh sweety I would have killed him too Look what this monster did Poor child is going to be in a lot of pain for a long time Bastard almost tore right through her_

Hearing the description of my body through her mind caused me to break down. I let out a sob that caused my whole body to shake. I could feel how much damage had been done, she was only confirming the pain. For some reason, I don't know why, but Eric walked away from my side and looked at me.

I saw his face turn the palest shade of white I have ever seen. My body was overcome by a rage that I had not felt before. I have survived many things in my life. I have been shot, multiple times. I have been beaten and I have been bit in ways no human should have to endure. Christ, I survived a bombing…still, his body was filled with a rage like she had never felt.

He could not believe his eyes. My body was ripped, torn, raw…mangled. My body ached a pain like I had not yet felt. It was not the physical pain of my wounds, it was the pain that I felt when I saw his face. My spirit felt like it was breaking, shattering what was left of myself. I just wanted to cover up and hide.

After he had seen enough of my body, he returned to my side. He laced his fingers through my own and kissed the back of my hand. Sometimes the smallest gesture can make the biggest impression. I just wanted to go home. I wanted my bed, my life, my safety.

I closed my eyes and felt the nurse swab my genital area. I felt her cleaning my wounds and I heard a camera snapping. I could not open my eyes to look at the photographer. I let myself drift into sleep, the sedative taking me away.


	2. Chapter 2

I felt Eric beside me, laying right next to me. Wrapping his body around mine. I still had no idea how many days I had been held. He felt me move and quickly sat up to look at me, to make sure I was alright.

"Lover, are you ok?" He didn't know how to talk to me.

"Yes, you're not hurting me." I answered what I thought was his question.

"No, not ok with me laying next to you. Are you…alright?" He needed to ask the question.

I inhaled deeply…'was I alright'. I honestly didn't know. I had no idea if I was alright. I was alive, I was safe…but alright?

"Eric, I will not break." It was the only response that filled my mind. I felt my eyes well with tears. "I will not break." I repeated with declaration.

The room was quiet, there were no nurses, no doctors…just us. I looked at him, knowing what was on his mind. All I needed to do was say the word.

"Please, take me home." My voice begged him to listen He immediately stood up, removing the IV from my arm. He cradled me in his arms, wrapping the bed covers around my body. He kissed my head and opened the window. We were airborne before I could think twice.

I am never afraid when I fly with him, I know that nothing will ever happen. It is peaceful, quiet…ethereal. I buried my head into his chest and closed my eyes. I would be home soon. I would be safe and away from the horror of the past few days.

We touched down on the doorstep and he carried me upstairs to our bedroom. He carried me directly into the bathroom and sat me on the floor, still wrapped in the hospital linens. I watched as he filled the tub with very hot, very steamy water. I thought about how much the water might sting my raw body. He helped me up and dropped the linens from my body.

I couldn't help it, I cowered and tried to cover myself. Never have I hidden myself from him. I just couldn't stand there and not shelter myself. He met my eyes, knowing not to push. He held out his hand in order to help me.

"Come, I will take care of you. Please, let me help you." His words hurt, I wanted to let him help me…I just was scared. I took his hand and reluctantly climbed into the tub. The water was hot, it felt scalding after being cold and naked for days.

He undressed and climbed in also. I was still standing up, afraid to submerge my body, afraid of the sting that could happen. He sat down and rested his back against the end of the tub.

"It is ok, go slowly. You need to soak and get clean, just take your time." He looked at my eyes, understanding why I was so concerned. I slowly lowered my body, careful not to make any sudden moves.

I felt the hot water creep up my skin, it felt so good, but it also hurt. I took a deep, cleansing breath and sat down. I blew out the pain as the hot water touched the open, raw wounds. My eyes burned as I tried to hold back my tears. I felt him reach out for me, to allow me to brace myself against him.

I felt my body lean back against his hard chest. He did not touch me, just let me lay there and balance on the edge of terror and comfort. The sting had subsided, I felt my body begin to relax. I closed my eyes, happy to be home.

I must have been half asleep, I felt Eric's hand on my leg and I freaked out.

"Please, no…don't touch me!" My voice was startling, crazed. For a moment I did not realize that the hand belonged to that of my husband. I felt him snap his arm back, knowing that I was scared.

Not only had I screamed in fear, but I apparently rocketed myself to the other end of the tub. I was crouching and shaking, my knees pulled up to my chest. I looked at the water, rippling around my tremors. It was colored an awful brown color. Dried blood and water does not make a pretty color.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I just wanted to…" He was sorry, but I cut him off.

"Oh God, no…Eric, I'm sorry. I know you would never hurt me. I don't know what happened. I just felt something and lost it. I know it's you, I know you would never hurt me. Please, it's my fault…I'm sorry." I was ashamed of myself for reacting in such an intense way.

"Sookie, none of this is your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for. I should have told you that I was going to touch you, so you expected me." He was looking at me with eyes that were do blue and so intense.

I slowly made my way back to him, allowing my self to lean back against him. This time I took his hand and placed it on my stomach. All he wanted to do was touch me, feel me next to him.

He drained the water and filled the tub again with hot water, this time I was going to get clean. He kissed my head, carefully raised his hands to my hair, pouring water down my mane. He washed my hair, scrubbing the smell of blood, sweat, and tears away. His fingers massaged my scalp, I could feel the tangles fall from my strands.

After he washed my hair I felt him lather his hands with soap, I knew he was going to wash my body…but I couldn't stomach the idea. I quickly took the bar of soap and pushed my body away from his. I wasn't ready to feel his hands on my battered skin.

He seemed to understand my need, he did not object when I did the task myself. Never had I denied him the touch of my skin, at least not since we had committed ourselves to each other. I could feel the concern flow through our bond. I was thankful I could feel anything at all through the bond. It had been too long since I had felt him.

"Eric…how long did he have me?" I looked at the water intently.

"Six days. You were gone for six days." He lowered his eyes to the water. "The entire time I was searching, trying to feel you, trying to find you. I could not sleep during the day, all I did was curse the fact that I could not be out there, searching for you. The minute the sun would drop I was out and hunting. I couldn't feel you?" He looked at her, concerned about the fact that their bond had been interrupted.

"He kept giving me shots of something. I couldn't even think. It made me feel drunk and tired, and sick. It was like I couldn't put any thoughts together. I couldn't call to you, I couldn't even push my fear through the bond." My voice began to shake as I recalled the feeling that my body was describing.

"I called Niall, he thought the you were under the influence of some type of drug. It even clouded his ability to use magic to locate you. We had no idea where you were. The only thing I knew was that I would find you. I didn't care who I needed to kill to find out, but I was going to do whatever it took". He slowly placed his hand on my face, caressing my cheek.

"You haven't slept in six days?" I was shocked at this confession. It is almost impossible for a vampire to remain awake when the sun is out. In fact, sleep deprivation is a favorite form of torture among vampires. "How are you able to function. Come one, we need to get you some sleep." I don't know why I suddenly became so concerned with my husband's well being. Oh wait, I do no why…avoidance.

"Sookie, do not worry about me, it is you that needs caring for. Let us get out of this water and get into bed." That actually sound like a good idea to me. I let him help me up and flinched and shrunk away as he tried to dry me off. The feel of the towel on my skin was hurting.

I walked into the bedroom and sat on the bed, allowing him to comb out my wet hair. The smell of the lavender and vanilla shampoo was so nice to take in. I had gotten used to the stink of blood, dirt, sweat…everything. I closed my eyes and breathed in the relaxing scent.

Eric took out a pair of cotton sleep pants and a t-shirt. I let him slip them on my body, and he was careful with his touch. I hadn't slept in clothing for quite a while. I loved the feel of my skin against his, but all I wanted to do was cover up. In fact I got off the bed and retrieved a sweatshirt from my dresser. I pulled the sweatshirt over the t-shirt and rubbed up and down my arms, causing the friction to heat me up.

He just looked at me. I was a mess, my face was blue and purple from his blows. My lips were chapped and cracked from the dehydration. I looked like I had lived through a war…I actually had. He sat down next to me and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Sookie, we must heel you. I need you to take some of my blood. I…I," He was thinking very intently on his next statement. "I saw what happened to your body. I saw the depth of the pain and the wounds. It is best for you to take from me, and allow me to heel you." I knew that he was treading on delicate territory.

"I know…I know that I need your blood. I'm just so afraid and I am so sorry." I don't know what I was sorry for, it just felt like to right emotion.

"I will be gentle my love, I will not hurt you. Lay down, get comfortable." I did exactly what he asked. I propped my head on the most comfortable pillow in the world. Eric slid himself right next to me, turning his body on his side so he was facing me.

I heard him bite into his wrist and place his arm over my mouth, making sure he did not press. I wrapped my cracked and rough lips around the wound and allowed the fluid to flow into my mouth. Tears escaped my eyes as I tasted the blood. He made sure not to make any noise of pleasure, this was not the time for him to get all aroused.

When I stopped drinking I looked at him, happy to have a burst of energy.

"Sookie, I need to touch your wounds with my blood. I need to get my blood to cover the area's that are so tender. Please, let me help." I shivered at the idea of him touching me, but I knew he was trying to help. If I allowed him to do this he would see, and feel the torture that my body had experienced.

"I don't know, maybe the blood that I just took will be enough. Can't we wait and see?" Anything to delay what I knew was going to happen. I would argue that I was fine, he would point out all of the things that were wrong with my plan, and I would end up giving in, knowing he was right

"My love, it is for the best. The blood will heal your internal injuries, it will make you feel stronger, you know what I need to do." And I did, I knew exactly that he was being kind and wanting to help me. I pulled off the cotton pants and started to cry as I felt the pain.

"Can you please turn the light out?" I knew that he had eyesight that was better than a hawk, but it just made me feel slightly more…invisible. I laid back and felt his cool hands rub my leg, letting me know he was being gentle.

I heard him snap through the skin on his fingers with his fangs. I felt him move his hand to my center, barely touching the enflamed skin. I let out a cry of pure fear, I was so scared for him to touch me. I trembled and I sobbed as he rubbed gently.

He was experiencing no pleasure from this act. Never before had he touched me in such an intimate area without it being some type of foreplay. He was healing me, making sure to touch every tender area. I flinched and I pulled away from his hands.

"Sookie, please, try not to move. I know this is difficult, it will be better very soon. I promise my love." I held on to his words and concentrated on his voice. His cool, smooth, loving voice. I blocked out the feel of his fingers as they weaved through the folds of tissue. I felt the tears slide down the sides of my face, moistening the pillow beneath my head. Just a little longer, I can already feel the pain start to dissipate.

Suddenly I feel him slide the finger inside of me and I scream in horror. I know that he is reaching inside of me to make sure he touches the inside walls of my body. I scream, shocked by the unwanted entry.

"No, No, No… stop, please…don't. Stop, please!" I lost any control that I had and slapped his hands away from my body. I curled into a ball on the bed. I can't keep doing this, this is my husband.

He looked at me and I knew how much he wanted to comfort me. He knew that I was traumatized, he knew that no amount of his blood could take that away.

"I'm sorry Eric, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please, don't hate me." I begged him to forgive my actions. He said nothing, all he did was take his place by my side, and wrap his long, strong arms around me. He held me as I sobbed, uncontrollably sobbed. I cried for everything that had been taken from me. I cried for what my life had become. I cried for myself, my body, my spirit. I cried, cradled in my husband's arms.

TBC….


	3. Chapter 3

_Words could not describe how I was feeling. I fell asleep as Eric held me, rocked me, comforted me. It was the first time in six days that I felt safe enough to actually close my eyes. I knew that I would not wake up to a stranger's blow. I knew I would not wake up to the feeling of a person entering my body in a very unwanted way._

_My dreams were filled with replays of what I had been through. Even when I slept he was still hurting me, still controlling me. He was dead, completely dead, by my hand no less. Yet, he still held the power. It was as though I was still a prisoner._

_My eyes snapped open, my chest was heaving. I didn't know that I was in my own bed._

"_Please…help me. Please, please…help me." I was screaming as though my body was tied to the bed frame. I was alone in my bedroom, but it was pitch black? Had he left me? I had a sudden fear that my response to him earlier had sent him packing. Now the panic inside of me became more intense._

"_Oh God, Eric, please…come back. Don't leave me, please…I'm sorry." I sobbed and tried to crawl out of bed. I heard a noise, again, I was afraid to move. The noise in the pitch black room was unknown and absolutely terrifying._

"_Sookie, Sookie…I'm here. I am here lover, do not be afraid." It was him, the noise was him. I sat up from my curled position and reached out for him. He took my hand and wrapped it around his neck. I laid my head on his shoulder and felt my body shake._

"_You were gone, I thought that you had left. I'm so sorry that I over reacted earlier. It just took me be surprise, I know you weren't hurting me. I thought you left." My mouth would not stop moving, I was nervously blabbing on and on._

"_My love, I was calling the people that care about you. I needed to let them know that you were home, that you were alive. I did not want to disturb you, I know that you need rest. I am not going anywhere, ever. I'm sorry you woke up so afraid." I could feel how upset he was with himself._

"_Please, stay with me. I can't stop thinking…I can't stop," I didn't really want to go into detail about what it was I was seeing in my head. "I just want you to stay." _

"_I will not leave this room again until I must. And when that time comes, I will take you with me to my room. You will not be alone, my love. You are not alone." He stroked my hair and positioned us on the bed in our usual position. I tucked my head under his chin and let my head rest on his silent, hard chest._

"_Thank you, I'm sorry." I felt like I was getting a grasp on my roller coaster emotions. I was safe, he was with me, he was not leaving._

"_I love you, Sookie." He kissed the top of my head._

"_I love you, too." I could not bring myself to raise my head to him and kiss him back. "Who did you call?" _

"_I called Amelia, Pam, Bill, Sam, and your brother. I let them know that you were home and that you needed rest and to be left alone for now." He knew all too well that I did not want to see anyone. _

"_What about my great grandfather, what about Niall?" I was concerned that Eric's animosity towards him would prevent the phone call._

"_I called him from the hospital, while the sedative was making you sleep. I needed to threaten death to keep him from going there. I knew that you were not ready to have anyone drop in. I hope that was alright." His voice sounded nervous._

"_It was perfect, thank you. I'm glad you told them all to just back off for a little while. I can't handle the questions." The truth was that I would much rather hear the questions than see the look of shame that was bound to show in their eyes. I just couldn't stand the looks of pity and disappointment. _

_I let my hand rest over his silent chest and I closed my eyes, praying that my mind would be erased. I would give anything if Eric could Glamour me. That would make me a hypocrite though. 'Please Glamour me, wait…don't you dare Glamour me.' _

_I sunk into him, completely aware of my surroundings. I let the feel of him wash over me, like he was covering every inch of me. I finally let sleep take me. It was almost three o'clock in the morning. I knew that Eric would be moving us to the next room soon. I think the idea of being in his safe place was enough to let me sleep._

_When I woke up I heard the phone ringing. I was not going to field any phone calls. I didn't want to speak with anyone. I looked around the room and saw the clock, it was almost one o'clock in the afternoon. It felt good to have slept that long, yet my body desired more._

_I pulled the blanket up around my neck, feeling more secure. The phone kept ringing and ringing. I couldn't stand the sound, I buried my head under the pillows and held my breath._

_I looked at Eric, he was finally sleeping. I had no idea how he was able to get around since he had not slept in six days. He looked so beautiful, his silent, still, pale body lay motionless next to me. I took his hand in mine and pulled his arm around my waist. I fell back asleep, not caring about anything else around me._

"_Sookie, lover…you need to wake up." I heard Eric trying to rouse me from my sleep. "You need to wake up and eat." I just wanted to sleep._

"_No, please…just let me sleep. I'm not hungry, I don't want anything. Let's just go back to sleep." I snuggled further into my warm blankets._

"_I don't know when you last ate anything, come…you need to eat. Have something to drink. Sookie." His voice was stresses._

"_I said No, I am not hungry." I stood my ground and I covered my head with the blanket. He must have known not to push me any further, I heard him walk away and start the shower._

_There is no way in hell I'm getting up, not to eat and certainly not to shower. I feel good, my body did not hurt. Eric's blood had provided the desired result, but I just don't want to move. I'm so comfortable and so warm. Eric showered alone, my heart kind of ached that he was by himself._

_I felt the bed indent and knew that he was laying with me again. He wrapped his arms around me and did not say a word. I think that he was unsure of what my mental state was._

"_Eric?"_

"_Yes lover?" He seemed happy to hear my voice._

"_What did you do while I was gone?" I have no idea why I asked the question. He had already told me that he searched for me. But, somehow I was looking for more._

"_I searched, frantically. When you didn't come home that first night, I tried to feel you. There was nothing but the faintest feel. I could not place the direction it was coming from. I tracked your car down at the shopping center. The door was wide open, bags inside the car and still in the cart." I could hear the emotion as he told me about that first night._

"_No one in that place even thought that this seemed out of place. I smelled your blood, and I knew that something was terribly wrong. I ran and tried to track the scent of your body, but it disappeared. I called Amelia to see if you were with her. I called Sam to see if he had heard from you. No one had any idea where you were, and I was too frantic to explain." I felt his body become tense and rigid._

"_Did you call the police?" It wasn't such an odd question. Vampires usually like to handle things their own way._

"_Yes…I called them the minute I knew you were really missing. After I had called everyone that may have possibly known your location, I knew it was time. I called the police and I reported that you were missing, and that I had located the car in the lot. Sookie, I was a mess. I will never be able to protect you during the day…" He was so upset that he was of no use when the sun was out. All I could do was squeeze my arms around his._

"_Eric, you had no idea that someone would actually try and grab me during the day. That is a huge risk…to anyone. There were people everywhere. It was broad daylight. It was the middle of the afternoon." I hoped my words had made a difference._

"_I know that, but still, I will never be able to be with you during the day. I will make sure that you are always protected. I know that you don't want to feel like you are always under surveillance, but I must do something." I was not going to argue. At this time I wanted nothing more than to be watched and guarded._

"_I tried, I tried so hard to call out to you. I tried to call out to you, or feel you. When I knew that was impossible I tried to think out towards Barry. I couldn't even get my mind to function. There was nothing I could do. I'm sorry I didn't try harder." My words broke him. I felt him flinch as he heard them._

"_No, don't you ever be sorry. You were under the influence of something foreign in your body. You did try, you stayed alive and you survived. Sookie, so many other women would have perished. Don't ever be sorry, you are not at fault. None of this is your fault. Please, you must stop apologizing, do not apologize for something that was not your doing." His voice was not sad, it was steady._

_I felt my tears start to fall and I was again feeling like I was helpless._

"_I just wanted you to know that I did try. I don't want you to think that I just gave up and stopped fighting." My words were barely recognizable through my sobs._

"_Never, never would I ever think that you, my love, my wife, would ever stop fighting. You are the strongest person I know, nothing will ever change that." I could feel how strongly he felt. I wanted to hold him, kiss him, but something held me back. My arms felt like they were weighed down by lead. As much as I wanted to touch him, I just couldn't._

"_I want to go back to sleep. I think I'm fine to be alone, if you have stuff that needs to be done…it's ok." My voice had a slight tremor to it._

"_No, I will not leave you alone tonight. There is nothing more important than you. If you want to sleep then I will sleep next to you. If you want to eat, I will make something for you. If you want a bath, I will bathe with you. I am not going anywhere." Apparently he had learned his lesson the night before. I smiled at him, happy that my lips were healed enough that they did not crack and bleed._

_The phone was still ringing away. Eric turned his head in the direction of the ring. He felt my hand tighten around his fingers and knew that he should just let it ring. I was still not ready to speak to anyone. If this was important vampire business his cell phone would ring that telltale sound._

_That didn't happen. I can only assume that Pam made it very clear that there was nothing so important that he would need to be called. I think the only reason that phone would sound was as if De Castro had been overthrown and there was a new king marking his territory._

_Somehow that seemed tolerable to me. I had lived through a hostile takeover once before, why shouldn't I be able to handle another one? I closed my eyes and tried to think about my life. My life before this had happened that is._

_I pictured Eric and I walking hand in hand along the beach of Bora Bora. That is where we honeymooned. He had surprised me two weeks into our marriage. We were in bed, as this was the place we spent most of our time in the month that came after the wedding._

_We were wrapped in each other's arms and he bizarrely asked me to go get him a bottle of blood from the fridge. I wondered why he would want synthetic, bottled blood when he had just finished thoroughly enjoying me. I questioned him on his request and put up quite a stink when his only explanation was, "You are my wife, I expect you to do as I say"._

_That had infuriated me. How dare he treat me like I was a 1950's housewife. I sprung out of bed and pointed my finger into his chest. I called him every name I could think of that described a chauvinist, arrogant prick. He made no attempt to argue back, he just looked at me and grinned._

_I was so pissed, I wanted to slap him…in fact, I think I may have? In a huff, I stalked out of the room and slammed the bedroom door behind me. All I could think about was the fact that he was going to treat me like an employee._

_At the time I needed a drink. I walked myself right to the fridge to get the tonic for my cocktail. Inside the fridge was an envelope. It simply read, 'Open Me". My heart skipped a beat, I fell for it…hook, line, and sinker._

_Inside I found airline tickets, five star resort accommodations, itinerary, and many thousands of dollars in travelers checks. I remember feeling his eyes boring into my back as he watched me discover the gift. I turned around and leapt into his arms. _

_I thought that we would be that happy forever…_

_TBC._


	4. Chapter 4

_Another four days past. I did not move from my bed. To his credit, Eric didn't leave me. Not even to go to the bar. He showered alone and drank bottled blood. He never complained about any of it._

_He tried everyday to get me motivated enough to get out of bed. He knew it was futile. I didn't care that I was smelly, unclean, truly in need of a bath. My hair hadn't been brushed since Eric combed it out the night I left the hospital. I could feel the scum covering my teeth as I have also neglected to brush them._

_I'm actually surprised that my nose isn't doing somersaults at the sensory overload. Eric must be about ready to throw me out the window in order to freshen up the house. His nose is certainly noticing the ripeness that is flowing off of my body._

_I looked at the clock, the digital numbers told me it was ten past six. I stretched my arms and legs. My body was not used to extending out since I have pretty much been in a fetal position for five days._

_I was not the least bit hungry, but I was in desperate need of some water. My mouth was as dry as a desert. I pushed myself up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My knees hurt under the weight of my body. I looked down and noticed that Eric was starting to stir._

_I got my feet moving and walked to the bathroom. I was hoping to wash up a little before he saw me. I took care of my "human needs", and went to wash my hands. I made the mistake of looking in the mirror._

"_Oh sweet Jesus!" I was in shock. My skin was as pale as Eric's. Despite the fact that I had slept for almost five days, my eyes were hollow. They had deep, purple welts underneath them. My bruises had healed after I had Eric's blood. These were not bruises, this was the direct result of neglect._

_My cheek bones protruded from my face. They were hollow and the skin around them sank underneath. The sweatshirt that I had covered up with was hanging off of my body. I could see my collar bone stick out from underneath the fabric. I looked plain sick._

_I brought my hands to my head and tried to smooth my hair. The way I looked after the time I had spent in Dallas was nothing compared to my current state. I stared at the person looking back at me. I didn't recognize myself. Could this really be me?_

_I let my knee's give out and I fell to the floor crying for myself. I was just a shell of my former self. _

"_No, no…why?" I repeated this over and over, not realizing that the words were actually coming out of my mouth. I had hoped that I was silently crying in my mind. I leaned up against the vanity, on the floor, crying because I looked like such a horror._

_Eric heard me crying and found me on the bathroom floor. He took in the sight and kneeled down next to me._

"_Sookie, it's alright." He was not sure of why I was having a breakdown, but they were the appropriate words._

"_Eric, look at me. I look like I have been hit by a train. I am awful, I look like a refugee from another country. Just look at me, I am hideous." I was hyperventilating._

"_My love, you are the most beautiful creature I have ever known. Nothing will ever make me think differently. You are beautiful, you are here with me, and that is the only important thing. Please, lets get you cleaned up." He stood up and took my hand to help guide me to my feet. He started the shower and helped me undress. _

_The hot water felt so good. It poured over my body, washing away days of disregard. Eric stood behind me in the shower, resting his head on my shoulder. It actually felt good to feel him with me. I let him wash my back and only flinched once when I felt his hands on my body. This was something he was growing too accustomed to._

_The steam from the shower clouded my vision and I closed my eyes as I felt him wash my hair. I was ready to get going, to release myself from this hold. I wanted to eat and live and be me. I turned around to face him, he was looking into my eyes ready to hear anything that escaped my mouth._

"_Eric, I'm not going to let this break me. I will not break. I'm going to try and be myself again. I'm hungry and I want to go out to get something to eat. Is that ok with you?" My voice was decidedly strong._

"_Yes my love." He sounded relieved that I was pushing forward. "We will go anywhere that you want." He kissed my forehead and hugged me close. It felt good._

_We got out of the shower and I wrapped myself tightly in a towel, I still did not want to look at my body . I knew that I was healed, but something still held me back. Eric watched me as I got dressed, making sure I was strong enough to keep going. I think he was secretly afraid that I was going to crawl back into bed and disappear for another four days._

_I dressed in a pair of jeans and a heavier than usual sweater. I really felt like I wanted to be covered. I didn't want the neglect and the pain to show on my body. The best way to hide this was to just cover it up._

_I couldn't really remember that last time I really ate anything. If the shifter had me for six days, and I had been in bed for four days…that brings me back to ten days ago. Ten days ago was my last actual meal. Not a scrap of food, or an IV full of nutrients. _

"_Lets go to that restaurant over on Jameson Ave, the steak house. Last time we were there it was really good." I felt the need to have a hearty meal._

"_Sounds perfect, I remember that they had an exceptional offering of blood." It suddenly became clear that Eric had been having nothing but synthetic blood for a week and a half. He must have felt my despair through the bond because he quickly smiled at me and left the room. "I'll meet you downstairs" He yelled over his shoulder as he walked out._

_Apparently it was not only me that hadn't truly eaten in ten days. I knew that Eric could barely stomach the bottled substitute for blood. He had complained about it many times in the past. My guilt was boiling inside of me. I quickly put on some makeup, trying to cover the discoloring of my skin. _

_I met him downstairs in the kitchen and took his hand. This was the first time that I was going to leave the house since I had been kidnapped. The nerves were swirling all around me and I knew that he felt this. He squeezed my hand and kissed me gently on the cheek._

"_Come, lets get something to eat. Everything will be fine." I envied his courage. I looked at him and pulled on his arm. For the first time since I had been home I kissed him. I felt his body respond to my lips. He had been missing me so much, his body was desperate to feel my touch. The kiss was gentle and soft. I was not able to offer anything more. I let my tongue press briefly against his and then I pulled away. Baby steps was all I could think of._

_He pressed me against his body and held me tightly. "My love, I have missed you so much. I love you." His voice was grateful for my affection._

"_I love you too." We held each other in the kitchen for the next five minutes, not speaking another word._

_The drive to the restaurant was just as quiet. We could both feel the tension in the air. When my phone beeped to alert me to my messages I actually jumped a little. I remembered that I hadn't taken a call sine I had been home. I pulled the phone out and looked at it. I needed to start talking to other people. It was inevitable._

_I held the phone to my ear and pressed in the password to retrieve my messages._

"_You have eighty three new messages." The familiar cell phone voice told me. Who was this woman? How did she get this gig, everyone in the world heard her voice. She was like the official voice of technology. Did she have to audition her voice in order to get this huge job? My mind was wondering._

_The first ten messages were all from the day I disappeared. All of them except two were from Eric. His voice was desperate and scared. Begging me to call him back and tell him where I was. It broke my heart to hear him so unnerved. The other two from that day were from Amelia and Sam. Both pretty much saying the same thing. That they had gotten a call from Eric and he seemed really worried. They asked me to call them as soon as I could, and to make sure that I called Eric to let him know I was safe._

_The next messages were from when I was being held. Amelia, Sam, Bill, Jason, Pam…all of them leaving quick little words. Just checking to see if I had my phone. Call as soon as I could. I guess they thought that some miracle would happen and I would magically start returning my messages._

_The bulk of these calls were from after I was home. People calling and asking if I was alright. Can they come by and check on me? Call them if I needed anything. The usual messages where no one really knew what to say. _

_I deleted each one after I listened to it. It got to a point where I would hear the first line. "Hi, it's Amelia again"…delete. If I listened to everyone I would have been there for an hour or more. I got to the calls from the day after I got home._

"_Mrs. Northman, this is Caroline Andrews. I was the nurse that was assigned to you when you were brought in last night. Mrs. Northman, you left the hospital against medical advice. Please call us here and discuss your follow up treatment. It is very important that you call us back. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you." Her voice sounded impatient._

_I looked at Eric as I listened to the messages. He placed his hand on my leg as if offering support. I continued on with the voicemails._

"_Mrs. Northman, This is Caroline Andrews again. I am calling to let you know that you left before we were able to administer more of our medications. It is very important that you call us back. Please, I would like to discuss your care." Again, impatient and worried._

"_Sookie, this is Detective Rice. I have some information for you and your husband. Call me back when you can. Thanks." I looked at the phone and remembered who the detective was._

"_Eric, the detective called. She said that she has some information, and to call her back." I looked to him and watched as his hands tightened on the steering wheel._

"_We will call her after dinner. Lets enjoy our meal and we will talk to her later." His voice was cold and steady._

"_Works for me." I tried to sound happy. I continued with the messages until I had heard every last one. The hospital called another five times, all repeating the same thing. I needed to call back and listen to what I needed to do for my 'treatment."_

'_Treatment', what the hell is treatment? Is it a psychiatrist to help my mind? Is it a doctor to tell me that my body is healed and that I'm fine to live my life like a normal person? Is it a prescription to make my brain forget about the horror that I had lived through? Really, who gets to define treatment?_

_We were at the restaurant and I was suddenly starving. Before I was really just going through the motions, letting Eric know that I was motivated enough to go out. Now my stomach hurt it was so hungry. He could hear my belly growl and smiled._

"_It's good to hear that you are ready to eat lover." He took my hand and we walked to the door. We were greeted by the host and quickly shown to a table by a fireplace. I really did like the comfort of this place._

_I ordered an iced tea and looked over the menu. Eric had been provided a blood list, just as common nowadays as a wine list. I wanted so much to offer myself to him, but I wasn't ready. He ordered a bottle of Royalty Blend and seemed pleased to do so._

_The waiter took our orders and we just looked at each other. We were both so happy to be out of the house and enjoying each other's company. The smell of the restaurant was overwhelming. My stomach was doing flips waiting for the salad that I had ordered as an appetizer._

_It was less than ten minutes before my spinach salad was in front of me. It looked delectable. I was ready to dive into it when I saw Eric's face turn full of rage. I felt the bond swell with anger. I turned to look at what was making him so upset. Sitting across the room from us was Alicede._

"_Lover, excuse me for just a moment. I will be right back." Before I could resist he was stalking across the restaurant. I saw him motion politely to his date and the two men disappeared around the corner. I felt him, he was angry and he was tormented. I wanted to go to them and make sure everything was ok, but I remained seated._

_The two emerged from their spot and the Were rejoined his date, while Eric walked back to me. His face had softened slightly, but I could still feel how upset he was._

"_Are you going to tell me what that was all about?" I made sure my voice was strong. He inhaled unnecessarily and looked at me._

"_Sookie, I let him know that I was looking for any information on the shifter that held you captive. I told him that when I found out who he was and where he was from that I was going to see to it that anyone that had connections to him would suffer a similar fate." He was cold and he was serious. His face was unreadable as he spoke._

"_Eric, I don't even know if he was a Werewolf. Please tell me that you didn't tell him what happened to me. Please tell me that you didn't say anything." I was panicking and he could hear my concern._

"_Of course not. All I said was that you were hurt and that I was going to stop at nothing to find out who had hurt you. Sookie, everyone knew that you had gone missing for several days. He was very happy to know that you had been found. He understands why I am doing this, he did not argue when I told him my plan." He reached for my hand and rubbed the back of it with his fingers. "Now, stop worrying and eat. I can hear your stomach again and it is not happy that you are taunting it." He smiled and I turned my eyes to the food._

_Eric sipped his dinner and I ate my salad. It tasted like heaven. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into the steak that I had ordered. It all was just so delicious. When the waiter brought the steak to me I thought that I was going to pass out from the sight of it. I am sure that my mouth was watering as my eyes devoured it. I think I heard Eric chuckle to himself when he saw my reaction._

_As I wrapped my lips around the fork I was suddenly aware that I was being watched. Alicede had walked over to the table and was looking down at me, staring at my appearance. I was sure that he knew what I was trying to hide. I was self conscious and I instinctively tried to cover my body with my hands._

"_Sookie, I am so happy to see you. I was very worried when I heard that you were missing." I looked at him and smiled. "If you need anything, just call. I'll be happy to do anything I can." I heard Eric let out a slight growl as he heard his offer to help me._

"_Thanks, I'll be just fine. It's good to see you too." I didn't want to get involved in a conversation about my captivity. I must have projected that to him because he looked away from me and towards Eric._

"_Northman, I will be in contact. As soon as I have anything I will let you know. Enjoy the rest of the night." He nodded towards Eric and bent down to kiss me on the cheek. I pulled my head away, afraid of his touch. His eyes fixed on mine and I knew immediately that I had just confirmed what had happened to me. His eyes looked sad as he walked away from our table._

_I brushed it off and continued to eat. I was fine, I was fine, I will not break, not for anyone._

"_My love, is it alright with you if we stop by Fangtasia on the way home. I am sure there is a stack of papers that I must sign for Pam. We will be no more than an hour." I knew that he really needed to do the work as he had not left me in days._

"_Sure, that sounds just fine. It will be nice to see Pam." I made it sound like my excitement was genuine._

"_Thank you. How is your dinner? It looks delicious." He eyed the steak and smelled its fragrance._

"_It's fabulous, but I'm actually feeling kind of sick to my stomach. Going so long without a lot of food is really doing a number on me. I think I'll take the rest home for later." I was still in the habit of not throwing any leftovers away. It drove him crazy and I knew that. I smiled as he rolled his eyes at my thrifty habit._

_Eric settled the bill and we walked back to the car. He opened the door for me and bent down to kiss me. I fought the urge to back away and I let him kiss my lips. His mouth was so soft, so welcoming. I let his kiss linger on my lips, reveling in the feel. I smiled at him and ran my fingers through his hair. I slid into the car and thought about this kiss. Baby steps…_

_TBC…_


	5. Chapter 5

We drove to Fangtasia, I could feel his anxiety as we got closer. I felt the need to let him know that I was fine with our little detour.

"Eric, everything will be fine. I'm going to hang out in the office while you do your paperwork. I'm fine stopping at the bar. It will be nice to see Pam." I felt the slightest bit of tension escape his body.

"I know lover. I just worry that this it too much for you to handle on your first night out. If at any point you feel the need to leave, just let me know. We will be home before you can finish asking." He looked over at me and gave me his very Eric grin. It made me feel warm and happy.

"It's a deal." I was feeling better about going to the bar. I really did want to see Pam. She was a great friend and I knew that she had been very worried about me. I also knew that she knew when to quit when it came to asking too many questions.

We drove into the lot and I noticed that the place was packed. It looked busier than usual. I could here the music escape the door to the entrance and I almost regretted my decision to stop here. Eric took my hand and pushed a great amount of love and courage through our bond. It was just what I needed to get me going.

We walked into the back employee entrance and went straight to his office. For some reason I felt like something was going to be drastically different, but nothing had changed. Perhaps it was because I felt so completely changed. If I felt so different shouldn't everything else around me change also?

I sat on the couch and watched as he stared at the huge pile of paperwork that had collected on his desk. He was right, he really needed to stop in and get some things taken care of. He pushed a button on his phone and requested a bottle of blood for him and a cocktail for me. I was not surprised when it was Pam that came rushing in to deliver the drinks.

This was unlike Pam, she was never one to actually waitress. She acted merely as eye candy and muscle for the bar. It was beneath her to actually serve anyone. Her pale eyes widened as she looked at me. I could see the relief on her face, she was genuinely happy to see me alive.

"Sookie, I am so happy to see you. You had all of us very worried." Her voice was full of concern, this was truly an emotional statement from the usual stoic vampire.

"Thanks Pam. It's really great to see you too. I'm sorry you were so worried." Again with the apologies. I needed to stop this. Did I really think that I could have prevented any of these things from happening? Of course not, it just felt like the words that needed to be said.

"Are you alright? Is there anything that I can do to help you?" Pam was certainly putting herself out there. It made me wonder if at some point in her life, living and dead, if she had suffered a similar experience.

"No, I'm fine. Eric is doing a great job taking care of me. You know how he is." I smiled as she really did know exactly how he was. "It's just nice to be home and safe. We just went out to dinner. It was heaven having such a nice meal." Small talk was what I needed to avoid any personal questions.

"Yes, I'm sure he is taking excellent care of anything that you may need." Her voice went back to its normal, unemotional tone. Her eyes scanned my body, noticing every detail. I knew that she was seeing how badly I had been hurt. She was seeing the wear and tear in my face. She winced when she thought that I was not noticing.

"Pam, how have things been in my absence." Eric could also see that I was starting to get a bit uncomfortable.

"Oh, just fine. No problems to speak of. Just all of those incessant invoices that need your signature. I would have taken care of those also if I could have." She sounded sorry that he needed to tend to such a minimal task.

"It's no problem Pam, Sookie and I are glad to be out of the house. We appreciate you taking care of everything while I was unable to do so." He was sincere in his appreciation.

Just then my phone began to ring. I looked at the number and didn't recognize it. I decided that I needed to bite the bullet and answer.

"Hello? Yes this is Sookie. Oh, hi Jennifer, I'm sorry I didn't call you back. I planned on calling a little later. What is the information that you wanted to tell us." I paused as I listened to what she was calling to tell me. "No, I'm feeling fine…we left because I wanted to go home. I just didn't want to be in the hospital any longer. I wanted to be in my own bed and with my husband." I paused again, waiting. I know that she didn't call just to ask why I had left he hospital.

"Really…are you sure? I can't say that I'm surprised. I really appreciate the information. Yes, we can get together soon to finish talking." My body was both relieved and sad. The detective had just confirmed what I was almost certain of before.

I looked at my husband and Pam quickly made her exit. "Well, his name was Mark Oliver. He was forty three years old and from Monroe. The evidence that they took from me proved that he had done this to five other women." I felt the tears fill my eyes. "The last woman before me was found dead. He killed her after he was through with her. The police found her in the woods in Monroe, strangled." My voice broke as I spoke of this poor woman's fate. That could have been me. He could have easily killed me at any point. The tears ran down my face and Eric was beside me at vampire speed.

"Don't think about it my love. You can't think about what could have happened. All you can think about is the fact that you stopped him. You prevented him from hurting anyone else. You must not think about what if." He was concerned again that I was going to retreat to our bed and not move for days.

"I know, I just can't help it. Eric, he planned on killing me. If he killed the woman before me, what would have stopped him from doing the same to me? I would have died and I would not have been able to say goodbye to you. I wouldn't have been able to feel you again, or see you. I wouldn't have been able to tell you I love you." I was overwhelmed with the idea of leaving my husband without preparing myself.

I saw his eyes turn pink and I knew that he was thinking of the same thing.

"Sookie, I know that you love me. I know that you would never leave me on your own free will. My love, if anything like that ever happened I would be lost, but please, try not to think of these things." He wrapped his arms around me and I lowered my head on to his chest. Thank god I didn't know that fate of the woman before me. If I had known that my captor was also a murderer, I really think that I would have given up. I would have done my best to die, so I could prevent him from taking that pleasure.

"Eric, I love you. I just want you to know that I love you. I'm sorry that I haven't showed you the past few days. But, I do love you, more than you know." My body spoke with an urgency that was not there a moment ago.

"Sookie, I love you too. Just because we have not made love doesn't mean that I doubt your love for me. I know that you have been through a tremendous ordeal. If you had wanted to rush right into bed after you came home I would have been more worried than I already was." He was so perfect when he needed to be.

"Thank you for understanding. Can you finish up so we can go home?" I wanted nothing more than to be in my own home. He kissed me and went back to his desk. I watched him feverishly as he looked through the papers that were littering his desk.

I let my mind wander through the days that I was held. I tried to think if there was any point in time that he was going to kill me. I tried to picture his face, his eyes. I knew that I needed to kill him in order to escape. Now I was realizing that I needed to kill him for my actual survival.

I must have been deep in thought because I didn't hear Eric tell me that he was ready to go. I didn't hear him walk towards me when I didn't respond. I didn't feel him reach out for me to shake my mind back to reality. I felt his hand on my shoulder and I jumped. I almost flew from my seat in order to run.

My eyes stared at him and he knew how sorry I was. He took another step towards me and gently lifted me up to my feet. I did not need to apologize. He knew I was sorry for my reaction. He stuck his head out of the office and yelled to Pam that we were leaving.

When we got home we went right to the bedroom. I wanted to be safe in bed with him to protect me. My mind was tired from thinking about what Detective Rice had told me. I was tired of taking my nerves out on my husband. I just wanted to sleep.

I put on another pair of sleep pants and a long sleeved t-shirt. Eric watched, with a little disappointment as I covered my body again. He did not try to talk me out of sleeping in such modest clothes. We crawled into bed and I laid my head against his chest.

He rubbed my arms and caressed my face. He was completely satisfied just being with me. I was again feeling guilty about my neglect of him. I raised myself up and kissed him. Only the kiss that I gave him at this time was nothing like the kisses we shared earlier in the evening. This kiss was urgent, I needed to show him how much I loved him.

I felt his body immediately respond to me. He let himself melt into my mouth, but I could feel the conflicting emotions flow through the bond. He wasn't sure if he should go with it, or stop it before it got out of hand. I pressed my body against his and let my hands travel over his chest. He moaned my name like I had never heard before. He was so torn between what he thought was right and what he thought was wrong.

"Sookie, my love…if we continue like this I don't think I'll be able to stop. I have missed you and we haven't made love in almost two weeks. This needs to be something that you want to do, and not something you think you have to do." He spoke softly into my ear, waiting for me to either continue my advance, or stop cold.

"Ssshh, please don't talk. Please don't talk, please don't think. Just let me do this, please. I love you, I want you." I continued my advances and pressed my mouth harder against his. I felt his very ready, very hard length against my thigh. I shuddered as I thought about him being inside of me. I scraped my fingers across his bare chest, scratching his velvet skin. He cried out my name and I knew that I had gone too far to turn back. I removed my shirt and allowed my body to be bared to him. I allowed myself to be seen and felt. I kissed his body and I felt the tears slide down my cheeks.

He kissed my chest and my neck, letting his lips linger over every inch of skin. He took my breasts into his mouth and he must have felt my body shaking. He caressed me gently, making sure that I was alright with what was happening.

I tried so hard to only focus on the moment before me. I tried to not let my mind wander to the pain that I had been through. His hands searched my body, desperate to find me with him. He rolled me off of him and kissed me, pressing his tongue against mine. His body actually felt hot as he covered me, enveloped me.

He slid my pants off of my body and I cried. I cried at the thought of being naked and exposed to him. I cried as I thought about him seeing me. I knew that his blood had healed me, but what if there were still wounds that I couldn't feel? What if he saw my body in a different way? What if he refused me because he knew that another man had taken me?

He felt my fear, he felt my apprehension. He kissed my stomach and let his face wander down towards my legs.

"You are beautiful, you are perfect. Do not worry my love, I will never grow tired of this body." His words were quiet and gentle. I could not stop crying as he kissed me everywhere. I pulled back when I felt his mouth on my center. He placed his hand on my stomach to assure me that I was going to be ok.

My mind was a mix of emotions. I tried so hard to concentrate on his skillful tongue and mouth. I wanted so desperately to get lost in this moment, the moment that I returned to my beloved. All I could think about was the weight of my captor on top of me.

I remembered how he would hold his hand over my mouth so I could not scream. I remembered the way he smelled when he was taking me. I trembled and it was not a trembling from the ecstasy I should have been experiencing. I cried as Eric tried to keep me in the moment. I thought that I could smell the combination of blood and sweat that I had grow so used to.

He knew that I was having a hard time, he stopped and crawled up my body. He was taking stock of my emotions, trying to comfort me with love and acceptance. I needed to push through this. If I stopped now I was afraid that I would never be able to do it again.

"Please, Eric…don't stop. I need this to happen, I need to feel like my old self. If you stop I just know I won't be able to handle it. Please, make love to me like you used to. Love me and tell me I'm yours. I need to hear you say it." I was sobbing as I begged him to make love to me and love me.

"Sookie, you are mine. You will always be mine, no one will ever have you the way that you belong to me. I don't think that you are ready to do this, I can wait. I can…" I couldn't stand it. I grabbed his face and pulled him into my mouth. I wasn't going to take no for an answer.

I pushed my tongue into his mouth and bit his lower lip, knowing that would urge him on. I felt a growl rise from the depths of his body as I licked the blood from his lip.

"Eric, take me now…please…just, F…fu..fuck me!" My words were harsh and I knew that was the last thing I would need to say before he entered me.

I screamed as I felt him inside of me. It was shock and it was terror combined. I loved him so much, but all I could think about was that man being inside of me. Tears flew wildly down my face. It was like a dam had broke and I was going to drown in the emotion that spilled from behind it.

I dug my finger nails into his back, I'm not sure if it was to hurt him, or if it was from the pleasure that he was sending through me. He was relentless with his thrusting, he knew that I was in a state of shock. I was torn between pleasure and pain, heaven and hell.

My saving grace was the fact that my sobs were coming through like moans. He knew better, he knew I was crying, but he didn't let on that he knew. He was doing this because I asked him to. He was doing what he thought it was that I needed.

"Eric, please…tell me. I need to know that you still want me and you still love me, no matter what. I need to hear you say it." My body could not decide if this was right or this was wrong. All I knew was that I needed to know that he still wanted me after another man took what was his.

"Oh…God Sookie. No one will ever take you away from me. You are MINE, you belong to me. Oh…god, I need you. I have missed you, let me help you forget. Let me make you come, I need to feel you come." He was shouting as he plunged into me.

I wanted to do what he asked of me, I wanted to release all of my fear and all of my hate into an exhaustive orgasm. I wanted to lose myself in the sensation. I felt him pull my face to his gaze, he saw how torn my body was and he kissed me.

He pressed his mouth against mine, and he eased up on his pace. He began to savor my body, just as he used to. He glided himself into me, slow and easy. He never left my lips, his tongue was mimicking his rhythm that his thrusts were taking. I let him relish me and I fought my mind to let myself get lost in his eyes.

He broke our kiss and caressed my face, unable to take his eyes off of me. He smiled gently and he ran his hands through my hair. He breathed my scent and he caressed my breasts. I was slowly becoming more aware that he was still mine.

I closed my eyes and focused all of my energy on the feeling between us. I blocked out everything except the two of us. I was going to win this battle, I was not going to let that monster have the power. No one can control me, not even my very possessive, powerful, and strong husband. I control me, I control my life. I will not break.

I shoved Eric and pushed him down on to his back and I crawled on top of him. He didn't have time to adjust himself before I was sliding myself down on to his still throbbing erection. He gasped as he felt me take all of him inside of me.

I felt no pain, there was no internal injuries that were hanging on. I rocked myself on him and guided his hands to my hips. I wanted to feel him with me. I bent over his body and kissed his very ready mouth. I let my tongue trace an invisible line around his lips. He cried my name as I rocked against his body. I was feeling the pleasure build inside of me.

I was going to do this, I was going to allow myself pleasure. That asshole that hurt me so badly, he was dead. I killed him and I was happy that I did it. My body began the familiar sensation of growing warm and tingly.

"Oh, Eric…I love you. Thank you for not stopping…Oh god, oh god. I am yours, Eric. I will never let anyone break me. Oh god, don't stop doing that. Hmm, yes, please…you have to bite me. Please, take all of me." I was becoming frenzied with the anticipation of my release.

"Lover…Sookie, look at me. Look at me, I need to see you. Oh God, Sookie. I will have you, I will have you…oh…oh." He bent his head to my breast and he sank his fangs in, forcefully. He never let go of my hips and he rocked me to an exploding orgasm that was just as intense as his.

I screamed his name, but I also screamed in relief. I felt my body feeding him, I knew he had been without my blood for the same amount of time as he had been without sex. I loved feeling him drawing on my breast, he still wanted me. He still wanted me even though a monster had marked me, and tortured me, and had his way with me.

I knew he was thoroughly enjoying my blood. He was still inside of me and I was trembling with the aftershocks of my massive climax. As he drank from me I could feel his erection growing. I knew he was aroused at having me again.

I watched him as he lapped at my skin, licking his lips to make sure that not a drop of me got wasted. I watched him like it was something I had never seen before. The sight of him feeding from me was doing something to me also. I had seen this hundreds of times, and I always enjoy the feeling. But, this was different and I could not put my finger on it. I wanted desperately to share this moment with him.

I stroked his face and got his attention. He was already moving himself inside of me. I smiled at his rosy complexion and knew that my blood could only make him look that satisfied. I kissed him and tasted my blood on his lips. I let him take my hips again in order to rock me on his ready length. I gave him a wicked smile and I bent my head to his neck.

I gave him no warning, I just bit him as hard as I could. I felt his blood ooze from the bite mark and I licked it softly at first. I heard him cry my name in ecstasy as he felt me take his blood. Then I wrapped my lips around the wound and I sucked. I sucked on this wound like it was my life force. Each time I pulled harder, he thrust me down on him harder. We were both building another release, he let me drink from him and he sank his teeth into my shoulder, where he could reach. It didn't hurt, in fact it pushed me over the edge and I climaxed again. My release brought his and we collapsed.

I never moved my body off of his, I just laid there, startling his beautiful body. I did what I needed to do. It was the harder than I thought, but I did it. I had sex, complete, consensual, loving sex. I was still the same person, just a little more weary.


	6. Chapter 6

I was overwhelmed by the emotions that began to flow through our bond. I was completely exhausted from our love making and the tears once again flowed down my face. I was so weepy, so pathetic. I could feel everything that he was feeling.

Lust, fear, concern, happiness, satisfaction. They were bouncing off of me like I was a bank in a pinball machine. I couldn't wrap my brain or my body around what he was feeling.

"Eric, are you ok?" I was suddenly very aware that I had just begged my husband to fuck me. I no longer had a problem talking dirty to him, but that was a word that I used rarely.

"I am more than ok lover. I am reveling in the fact that we just made love, and you stayed with me. I felt you struggling, I felt the fear and the hurt…but you stayed with me. You let yourself be in control." He ran his fingers up and down my bare shoulders, enjoying the feel of my hot skin.

"Are you sure, I can feel that you are a little…torn?" I spoke softly, trying to sort out the bond.

"I am torn. I want to ravage you again and feel your body. But, I know that we need to ease back into our life. It would be selfish of me to desire you again so quickly. I'm ok with being selfish, but I do not want to tire you so quickly." I saw that wicked smile that I loved so much. It made me laugh quietly.

"Your probably right, I am exhausted. I could fall asleep just like this. I don't want to move a muscle. Any objections to me just closing my eyes for a few minutes?" I was sure he would have no qualms to my being naked and still straddling his body.

"Absolutely my love. Stay this way for as long as you like. I so enjoy the feeling of your very hot, very…smooth nether regions against my skin. Besides, if you change your mind about wanting me to have you again, it provides very quick access." Only he could make that sound sexy.

I closed my eyes and rested my heavy head against his silent, marble chest. I thought about making love to him. I felt happy, I felt spent, I felt whole. I felt ready enough to go and see my friends tomorrow.

"Eric, I'm going to go and see Amelia and Sam tomorrow. I might stop by to see Jason." I spoke in a whisper, afraid that hearing my words might cause me to reconsider.

I felt Eric tense as he heard me. I knew he was having a difficult time dealing with the fact that he could not be with me during the day.

"Sookie, would it be possible for you to invite Amelia here? You can enjoy lunch together, and then you can both drive to Bon Temps to see Sam and Jason." Normally I would be huffy about him wanting to dictate my day, but in this case I knew he was trying to make himself feel better.

"I'll call her and see if that works for her. I'm sure that everything will work out." I brushed my hand across his chest and kissed it softly. I closed my eyes and fell asleep. I never moved myself from his body, it was the most comfortable I had been in days.

When I woke I was curled up against him, wrapped in our blanket. He had carried me into his room and made sure that he did not leave me alone. I felt rested and really ready to see people outside of Eric and Pam. I couldn't hide in our house forever.

I untangled my self from him and forced myself out of my safe cocoon. I walked to the kitchen and made some coffee. When I went to the fridge I saw that the cream had expired. Of course Eric was not doing any grocery shopping while I was gone. It made sense that everything was either spoiled or half way there.

"Black coffee it is" Regardless of the lack of cream, I still needed my jolt of coffee to really get me going. I waited, albeit impatiently for the coffee maker to finishing dripping. I thought about what I would say to Amelia and everyone else that had been so worried.

As I sipped my coffee I brought the phone to my ear and waiting anxiously as Amelia's phone rang.

"Sookie! Sookie…Oh My God I thought you were never going to call me." She had caller ID, there was no need for the formality of saying hello. I could hear the tension and the worry in her voice. I was sorry that I had waited so long to call her.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm so sorry I didn't call sooner. I just couldn't deal with everything that was happening. Really, I'm sorry…I would never want you to keep worrying." I was trying my hardest to make her feel how bad I felt.

"No worries, I understand…really I do. I'm just so happy to hear from you. I have been thinking about you nonstop. I must have left you like fifty messages. Your voicemail must be on fire." She was starting to calm down.

"Yup, I saw all those calls. It's ok, that lady that gets to record all of those voicemail messages is really earning her money when it comes to my phone." I laughed as I remembered my misplaced thoughts the other night. "Amelia, are you around today? I was hoping that maybe you'd come by here for lunch or something." I knew Eric would be happy that I was listening to his request.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Just let me shower and get my things together. Sookie…" I heard her voice go into helpless mode. "Do you need…anything?" Yup, I sure did.

"Actually, I do need something. Could you pick up some cream so I can have a cup of coffee." I knew it wasn't what she meant, but she asked.

"Sure thing Sook." She spoke the words softly and gently. I took the time to enjoy the silence and the fact that I was alive. The little amount of blood I had last night from Eric was making me feel great.

I ran upstairs and jumped in the shower. I wanted to look refreshed when I saw her, even though I still had purple welts under my eyes. My cheek bones and the rest of me still needed some work. Nothing I could do about it at that moment in time.

After I got dressed I stuck my head into Eric's room and watched him sleep. I felt the fear creep up and into my body. What if I never got to say goodbye? What if I never got out? My eyes warmed with the tears that were forming. I walked over to him and kissed him softly on the head. I whispered how much I loved him. In return I got a very tired, very soft, very mumbled, "I love you too".

Amelia must have driven at double the legal limit. She was at the house quicker than I ever expected. And, to her credit, she actually had picked me up a pint of farm fresh cream.

She walked into the house and her eyes scanned my body. I knew that she was holding back, not wanting to point out the obvious signs of wear that my body was showing. Instead she dropped her bag and her car keys on the floor and ran up to me, wrapping her arms around m.

"Sookie, I am so happy to see you. I was so scared for you. I don't know what I would do without you. Your like my sister…I'm just so happy to see you." Amelia was broadcasting and I heard her inner struggle.

_She looks like she's been tortured Her eyes aren't the same Don't ask unless she brings it up Motherfucking piece of shit Can't believe someone could do this to another person Thank god she's alive_

For some reason I had forgotten how loudly Amelia broadcasts. I threw the shields up and let her hug me for as long as she felt she needed. When she finally let me go I saw the trace of tears in her eyes.

"Since you brought the cream, can I offer you a cup of coffee?" I gave her a smile to help calm her down.

"No, I'm good, maybe later." She took off her light jacket and threw it over the arm of the nearest chair. We got comfortable and settled in to the soft, leather couch.

"Amelia, I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner. I was having a really hard time and I didn't want to talk to anyone except Eric. I didn't get out of bed for almost five days, not even to eat or shower. I hope you can understand." I knew that I didn't need to explain my actions, but it made me feel a little better.

"I know Sook. I knew that you would call me when you could. How are you…now." She was trying to see how far she could go before I would get uncomfortable.

"Well, today I'm feeling real good. I'm feeling like I could handle just about anything. I couldn't wait to come down here and get myself some coffee. It's really the first time in days that I've felt…good." I thought about my current state of emotion.

"That's good to hear. Have you seen anyone else, other than Eric that is."

"Yup, we saw Pam last night. We stopped at the bar after we grabbed dinner. It was nice, getting out of the house." My eyes looked at the wall, not wanting to see her sad eyes. We sat silently for quite a while before Amelia spoke again.

"I'm sure Pam was thrilled to see you. She was a wreck when you were gone. I'm not sure who was worse, her of Eric." She patted my hand.

"I'd have to go with Eric on that one. I heard his messages from the first night I was gone." I shook a little at the memory.

"Yeah, but don't forget…Pam was not only worrying about you. She was also trying to look after Eric and calm him down. He was like a rabid dog. Everyone was afraid to go near him, everyone except Pam. Not even the police wanted to see him. He had this look in his eyes. Sookie, it took all she had to keep him from killing anyone that mentioned your name." Amelia was feeling like she had seen a war. I unfortunately have lived to tell the tale.

"I can imagine…I heard how crazed he was on the phone, I was scared of him…and he's my husband." I gave her a little nudge hoping she would crack a smile.

"Seriously Sookie, we were all a mess. It was like someone took a piece of us all away. You have no idea how scared we all were." For some reason that last comment really struck a chord with me. I suddenly felt…angry?

"You were scared Amelia? You guys were all scared? How about the person that was having the shit beaten out of her? How about the girl that was being raped over and over again?" My face was hot with anger and shame at my reaction.

"Sookie, I didn't mean it like that. I can't even imagine…" I cut her off with such force that she needed to take a second look at me to make sure these were actually my words.

"You _can't_ fucking imagine it Amelia, no one could ever imagine it. You know why? Because anything you could imagine is _nothing_ like the reality. You have no idea what I have been through, no one does. Do me a favor, _don't try _to imagine anything!" My tears were falling and I couldn't stop the onslaught of words that I was assaulting her with.

She just looked at me and let me vent. She didn't even try to stop me from berating her. I think she knew that I was letting out some stuff that had not yet escaped. Sure, I've cried, I've wept, I've starved myself…but I hadn't yet gotten that rage.

"I killed him Amelia, try imagining that. Picture yourself taking a knife and stabbing a person to death. Just try to _imagine _their blood spraying all over you." I could not stop the words once they escaped my mouth. "He did things to me that were unspeakable. So please forgive me if I'm having a hard time feeling bad for all of you."

My body was so full of rage, and it was not her fault. Amelia didn't do this to me. She didn't hurt me, or humiliate me. She just lit the fuse that had been planted days ago. She was the fire that burned down the wick, racing towards its detonation. After I got done ranting I just looked at her, eyes swollen with my tears.

She didn't run away, she didn't yell back. She wrapped her arms around me and let me cry. She let me sob for what felt like hours. She smoothed my hair and let me rub my nose on her shoulder. She never once complained that I was leaving a mess for her to clean up.

"I'm sorry Sookie. Never, never would I ever think that we were worse off than you." She whispered in my ear as she let me cry.

"I know…something just snapped. I know that you didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry Amelia, I know that you were worried. I know that you guys did everything you could to fine me. Are you mad at me?" I wouldn't blame her if she was.

"No, I'm not mad at you. I just want you to be ok. I want to help you and make you feel better, but I know that I can't do that. I know that this is something that you need to do on your own. I'm so sorry this happened to you honey." I was thankful that she didn't hold me accountable for my outburst.

Just as I was getting ready to let he ask questions my phone rang. I was sick of avoiding everyone, so I answered. I gave Amelia an apologetic look as I answered the unknown number.

"Yes, this is Sookie Northman. Hi Caroline, I'm sorry that I haven't called. I haven't really been in the mood for talking." I listened to her as she asked the routine questions. "No, I have not followed up with my physician, I will though. I'm feeling fine, nothing hurts anymore. No, I'm not bleeding anymore. Caroline, you mentioned that I needed follow up treatment. What is that really? Is the hospital going to refer me to some type of shrink?" I listened to her as she explained to me how important it was for me to not only deal with my physical pain, but my mental pain as well.

I listened as she explained that they had a number of qualified psychiatrists on staff at the hospital, some specializing in violent crimes against women. I took the names of the doctor's that she provided me, pretty sure that I wasn't going to call any of them.

"I really appreciate you checking up on me. I know you must be busy, it means a lot." I was trying to get her off the phone, feeling less than polite for keeping my friend waiting.

"Oh…I see. What kind of medication was I supposed to take? I feel fine, there is nothing physically wrong with me." I listened to her words and I swear someone had sucked the breath right out of my lungs. My eyes widened to the size of Olympic swimming pools. I felt the blood drain directly into my feet, leaving a chill as it fell.

Amelia saw my reaction and jumped up from the coach, ready to brace me in case I lost my balance. Any trace of color was gone from my face. I'm pretty sure that Eric would look tanned compared to me. "I see…I never realized. I'm sorry Caroline, I really need to go." I hung up the phone and let it fall out of my hand and bang on the floor as it hit the hardwood.

I think I lost the ability to feel my fingers, everything else had pretty much gone numb. I knew that I must not have heard her correctly. She must be wrong, why would she ever suggest such a thing?

"Amelia, I…I need you, I need you to drive me to the pharmacy." I looked at her and she knew what I needed.

"Let's go" She held me hand, she knew any and all support was going to be needed.

TBC…


	7. Chapter 7

Amelia was flying out of the house, practically dragging me behind her. My legs were so heavy, they felt as though my shoes were filled with sand. I was having trouble processing the things happening around me. I didn't remember getting into her car. I didn't remember pulling out of the street and driving towards the center of town.

Amelia did not ask me anything, she knew what I needed. She was probably afraid to mention anything to me, given my little rant session earlier. Caroline Andrews was surely mistaken, she was surely going to call back and apologize for the bad information that she gave to me.

Wait, she can't call me…I never picked my cell phone up off the floor. If anyone was calling me it was going unanswered, ringing on the hardwood floor. I was nauseous, I could feel the acid from my stomach start to creep up my throat.

"Amelia, pull over. Pull over Amelia, NOW!" I yelled, thinking that would suddenly put us on the side of the road. Her car swerved to the edge of the street and I flung my door open.

I hung my head out of the car and threw up all over the ground. My body shook at the violence of the actions. I always hated throwing up, it hurt my entire body. My stomach muscles ached as I heaved absolutely nothing.

After about five minutes I shut the car door, wiping my mouth with my sleeve. Amelia was kind enough to hand me a bottle of water and a piece of Trident.

"Thanks, sorry I yelled at you…again." Poor Amelia, she really doesn't deserve my volatile temper.

"It's no problem, happy to have gotten to the side of the road on time." She knew it was best to keep the conversation at a minimum. Less than ten minutes later we pulled into the parking lot of the pharmacy. I reached for my door handle and stopped suddenly. I looked at my friend with scared eyes.

"Amelia, I can't go in there. Everyone knows me, everyone in this area knows in married to Eric. I can't go into that store." I was so worried about what everyone would think.

"I got it honey. I'll take care of everything. You wait right here, I'll be back in a few minutes." She patted my leg and kissed my cheek.

It felt like she was in that store for an hour. I watched the people go in and out of the automatic doors, completely unaware that I was watching them. Did they not have any idea that the world was ending? What is wrong with these people, why are they so friggin happy?

Amelia came running out about ten minutes later. She jumped in the car and never said a word. She took a right and I realized that we were heading back to our house in Shreveport.

"No, please. Amelia, I want to go to Bon Temps. Please, lets go to my Gran's." I looked out the window and made sure that she was going to turn around.

"Are you sure? Are you certain that you don't want to go home, maybe talk to Eric?" I knew she was concerned about my mind.

"Yes, I want to go to Bon Temps." My voice was distant, quiet.

I tried to calm my nerves, tried to think about anything but that little box that I could see through the sheer, white plastic of the stores bag. How I wanted to take that plastic bag and cover my head with it.

I looked at the sky and noticed that clouds were rolling in. The air took on a sudden chill and I was happy that I had decided on a sweater again today, although the chill in my body had no chance of disappearing.

Right as we turned onto Mockingbird Lane the sky opened up. The rain pelted the car and I felt like God was crying for me. It was quiet, surreal. The only thing that brought me out of my heavenly thought was the sound of Amelia's wiper blades screeching across the windshield. I jumped as the noise happened so suddenly.

"Wow, looks like it's gonna storm pretty good. The weather guy said that we should expect some early thunderstorms this season." Amelia was eyeing the storm clouds with a frown.

We pulled into the gravel drive and my heart actually hurt. That part of my life seemed like a century ago. So much had happened since Eric had laid this driveway. It was so simple then, well, as simple as my life can be. I secretly wished I was back in that time, before my life had turned into such a fight for survival. The guilt of that thought caused me to shake my head. I knew I would never want anything other than what Eric and I had right now. We had come such a long way since then.

I couldn't even carry the bag into the house, how the hell was I going to use this little thing? Amelia saw me eyeing the bag and grabbed it, nodding to me as she exited the car. I made my self emerge from the door, wishing I could curl up in the passengers seat and sleep my way through the rest of this nightmare.

The rain was cold as it bounced off my skin. I should have ran to the back porch, but instead I walked, slowly. I let the rain fall on me, hoping it would wash away the fear that was radiating through my soul. Cleansing, I hoped it was a cleansing rain. Amelia was waiting for me in the kitchen when I finally walked through the door.

She thrust a gin and tonic into my hand and took a long, big sip of hers.

"Come on now, it's times like these that we offer or never ending thanks to the genius that invented the cocktail. Drink up, we need a little liquid courage." She was deadly serious. There was not even a hint of humor in her voice.

I took the drink from her hand and I chugged the burning drink down. It was a strong one. I felt it spread warmth down my throat and into my belly. I didn't even notice that the cold ice was making my teeth tingle. I downed it in one gulp, not wanting the end to come.

I didn't notice that Amelia had changed some things around. It looked good, but I was not there to get decorating advice. I walked to the area of the house that Eric had set up for us and punched in the code to the lock. We never changed it from the old code of MRSNORTHMAN. I smiled as I punched it on the keypad.

My old room had a sense of comfort. I loved this house, it made me feel safe and like I was a little girl again. It made me remember a time when I was innocent, young, naïve. I sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the clock, it was almost four thirty. With the rain clouds in the sky, Eric would be up fairly shortly. I shivered as I thought about him. I knew he would be worried when he found me not at home, not to mention my phone was laying on the living room floor.

Amelia tapped lightly on the doorframe, making sure it was ok for her to come in. She was holding that godforsaken bag in her hands. I nodded and watched her as she crossed the room and made her way towards me.

"Sookie, honey…I know that your scared. But, all you are doing is stalling. Just get it over with, it's better that you know. I got you the best one, almost no error the box said." She handed me the bag and I took it like I was being offered poison. My tears fell and I shook as I took it from her.

A flash of lightning and clap of thunder shook the house right along with me. We both jumped as we heard the booming noise. I took the bag and peered inside. The box was pink and white and looked annoyingly happy. I read the words on the front panel.

'Get results up to 5 days before your first missed period, over 99.9% accurate, Doctor recommended". In most cases these were the words that most women would want to read. Me, I just wanted it to read, 'No worries, Sookie…this test will be negative'.

"Can't I just wait? I can't do this Amelia, I just can't. I have never had to take a home pregnancy test before. I should never have to, Eric can't get me pregnant. I should not have to do this." My voice was so strained. Did I think that would change anything? Just because Eric and I couldn't have kids, that makes me immune to having to pee on a stick?

"Sook, come on. I'll stay with you. You have to do this, you'll feel so much better when that little minus sign appears." How could she be so confident? She didn't know the outcome of this stupid torture device.

I got up and sobbed as I walked towards the bathroom. Under normal circumstances I would made it very clear that some privacy was in order, but for right now I needed all the help I could get.

Amelia opened the box and took the stick out of the foil wrapper. She uncapped that little felt tip and handed the small, white, crystal ball out to me. This one tiny piece of plastic held my entire world in its answer. How many women before me had actually prayed to this little invention? How many women prayed for the results that they so desired, be it positive or negative.

I could picture a teenager, huddled in her parents bathroom, water running in the sink to mask the sound of her peeing. I heard her berating herself for letting her boyfriend talk her into not using a condom. I saw her eyes as she prayed to the stick that only one pink line would appear in that window…the window to her life.

Next I saw an older woman, sitting on the closed toilet, staring at the same stick, praying that this time it worked. All her hopes and dreams were pinned on this one little device. Her future, her existence to hopefully be changed, in less than two minutes.

And here I stood, ready to take this little piece of plastic and wait for it to dictate my future. I did what everyone before me did…I prayed. I prayed that I would never have to tell Eric about this moment in my life. I prayed that I could erase this from my memory. I prayed that god would show me a little mercy and make that test show a definitive, negative.

Amelia turned her back as I did my best to aim a stream on to that little, barely the size of a quarter, tip. I finished, washed my hands and looked at myself in the mirror. I was a sight, eyes red, swollen. Tears fell freely from my eyes, I had no control over it any longer. I was at the point of hiccupping I was crying so hard.

I replaced the tip and placed the stick on the side of the sink. I'm not sure why, but I covered it up with a washcloth that was hanging next to the sink. Maybe I thought hiding that result window would change the result to what I wanted…needed it to be.

I walked out of the room and shut the light off. I didn't want to peer down at the stick, I needed to look when I had enough courage. I walked over to my bed and flopped down, fatigued and weak. I turned the little radio on that sat on the table next to my old, soft bed. I closed my eyes and asked Amelia to leave me alone.

The rain beat against my windows and against the tin roof of my grandmothers old house. I have always found this noise soothing and peaceful. It was almost hypnotic to me. I laid on my bed, my head buried in my pillows. I had the very real urge to not get up again, I was sinking back in to that shell of myself. I wanted to be left alone with my mind and my nightmares.

I listened to the music and hummed subconsciously to the songs that I knew. It was easy listening, so mostly love songs filled the room. I remembered dancing with Eric, swaying close to him as his arms held me. We loved to dance, he was graceful and strong. He always made me feel safe when we danced, regardless of who was present watching.

My mind was drifting and the music wafted through my head, it felt like right before you wake up from a dream. You can hear the noise, and the music invades the dream, but it is almost silent. When you wake up you realize that the sound playing on the radio is the same sound that was in the back group of you subconscious mind.

I heard Al Greene croon "Let's Stay Together", one of my favorites. I recognized some Dave Matthew's, "Crash", another favorite. The station played "Desperado" by The Eagles, and one of my all time favorites…"Here, There, and Everywhere", by the Beatles.

I thought about the beginning of that song…

_To lead a better life, I need my love to be here_…

_Here, making each day of the year. Changing my life with the wave of her hand,_

_Nobody can deny that there's something there._

I thought that I needed my love with me right now. He changed my life in so many ways. I used to listen to this song on repeat after Eric had remembered, but before we had our little talk. I thought that it was perfect, haunting, beautiful.

I couldn't bring myself to get off the bed and make that fateful walk to the bathroom. I wasn't ready to read what that test had to say, good or bad, positive or negative, yes or no.

I could here Amelia stirring outside my door, walking past every couple of minutes, waiting for me to notice her pacing.

"Amelia, it's fine, you can come in." I never picked my head up off the pillow.

"Um…Sook, don't be mad at me. I think I may have done something. I think I may have done something that you aren't going to like." That caught my attention, but, really…who are we kidding? Unless she held me prisoner, forced herself upon me and beat me up, what could I really hold against her?

"Go on, what did you do that is so bad?" I rolled over to look at her, no emotion in my voice.

"Well, Eric called. He was flipping out because you weren't home, saw the cell phone on the ground, started thinking that you were in trouble. He called me to see if I knew where you were. And…..I kind of told him that you were here." She was almost cowering like a child that just got caught sneaking cookies. "He just sounded so scared, I couldn't not tell him where you were. I'm sorry…I know you came here to be alone." She was about to cry with her guilt.

"It's ok, I knew sooner or later he would end up calling. There was nothing else that you could have done." My voice was so quiet, so unemotional. All I could do was wait. He would be here shortly, I could feel it. I rolled back over and curled up in my blankets waiting for his silent arrival.

Amelia stayed there and waited with me, rubbing my back and making sure I was alright. When I felt him she knew, she got up off the bed and walked towards the bedroom door. Before she could get to the doorway he was standing there.

She looked at him and gave him a look that let him know that I was in need of major comfort. She actually reached her arms out and gave Eric a hug. This was something that had only happened a couple of other times. Amelia and Eric have more of an… irritating brother/sister relationship.

Eric walked slowly towards me, unsure of what my current state was. He felt my sorrow, fear, anger, humiliation, my need to be taken care of.

"Lover, what has happened? Please, you must tell me. You can't keep everything to yourself. It will eat you alive." The pure sound if his voice soothed me.

"Eric, could you please just lay with me for a few minutes? I promise I'll tell you what's going on, in just a few minutes." My body begged him to wrap his protection around me.

I felt the bed indent and felt his body curl up next to mine. The warmth from the bond was radiating through us both. He wrapped his arms around me and I let out the most needed and relaxing sigh. I curled myself into him, allowing my body to mold into his curve.

I listened to the music and the song that was playing could not have been more perfect. I had heard it before, lots of times. It wasn't even one of my favorites, but right now, it was encapsulating my entire world. I felt like this song was written for me.

_And rain falls angry on the tin roof As we lie awake in my bed _

_You're my survival, you're my living proof My love is alive and not dead _

_So tell me that we belong together Dress it up with the trappings of love_

_I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above _

I never really knew the name of this song, but right now it was all that I could concentrate on. At then end of the song I kept repeating…

_And I'll be your cryin' shoulder _

Edwin McCain must have written that for me, he must have known that one day it would cause me to think about my life, my love, my everything. I sucked in the air around me and Eric knew that I was ready. He guided me as he turned my body over to face him.

He looked deeply into my eyes, caressed my cheek, pushed courage through me. Little did he know that he was going to need a fair amount of courage too.

"Eric, the nurse from the hospital called me this afternoon. She gave me the numbers to some recommended shrinks." Open with the easy stuff, delay the bad news. "She told me about how important it was to get my mind fixed too. She also went over some medications that I never got to take…since we left the hospital without telling anyone." I looked away from him, staring over his shoulder to the shadow on the wall. I listened to the rain as it pooled down the roof.

"When we left the hospital, I guess I skipped out on some pretty important medicine. I never got a chance to take emergency precautions." I was afraid he would need a more detailed explanation. Turns out he did.

"Emergency precautions? Do you mean large doses of steroids to prevent infections? Sookie, my blood will prevent all of that." He looked at me with such understanding. It almost made him seem innocent, not knowing what I was trying to explain.

I touched my hand to his face and kissed him softly on the lips. I didn't want to tell him what I really meant. It was going to break what was left of me, I could just feel it.

"No honey, not steroids and not antibiotics. Eric, my love, I didn't get a chance to take emergency birth control. I could be pregnant… I could be pregnant with that monster's child." The words stung my mouth as they flowed out of my body.

Every muscle in Eric's body tensed and the look that came across his face was something that I have never seen before. He stared at me, not knowing what he had just heard. His eyes filled with red and tears fell from his sapphire eyes. He sat up, never taking his eyes off of me. He got out of bed and paced around the room, not speaking.

When I thought he was about to speak he would stop. He ran his hands through his hair and never brushed the tears away that were staining his cheeks. I sobbed and I shook. He couldn't even look at me, he couldn't stand the fact that I may possibly be pregnant. He couldn't stand me, he couldn't handle this turn of events.

He heard my cries and he turned to look at me. I can't even tell what he was thinking. The bond was chaos, turmoil, confusion. He turned to the wall and he actually put his fist right through the plaster. I jumped out of my bed, afraid that he would turn his anger on me. I saw the blood on his knuckles, he never winced.

He was in front of me with vampire speed, blocking me from running.

"Sookie, I'm sorry. How could I let this happen? You don't deserve this, you are too good, too special. I love you so much, my love. I will protect you, I will do whatever it takes to make this better." He dropped to his knees in front of me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his head on my hip. "Please, please let me help you. God Sookie, you are my entire world. I need you to let me help you. I love you, I'm so sorry…I love," I cut him off, hearing enough. My lips wrapped around his lips, joining in our emotional unease. I could wait a few more minutes before I learned the result of the most important test of my life.

TBC….(sorry-don't hate me ) Songs in this story are actually playing on my IPOD...good stuff!


	8. Chapter 8

I needed to have this moment of normalcy. I knew that right now, entangled in my husband's arms was what I needed more than anything. It gave me a sense of peace and security. We kissed like we hadn't touched each other in years. We needed to feel each other physically. As our lips wrestled and molded I felt how scared he was. He was scared for me, for him, for our future.

He stayed on his knee's in front of me. Him being at that level made it easy for me to wrap my arms around his entire body. I didn't have to reach and stand on my tiptoes . It was comfortable and just as it needed to be.

"Sookie, I'm sorry. I should have made you stay in that hospital. I should not have taken you home. I could have stopped this." His voice was desperate and full of regret. He dragged his cool lips across my face as he moaned his apologies.

"No, Eric…this has nothing to do with you. I asked to go home. I wanted to get out of that hospital. You didn't make me leave, all you did was give me what I asked for. I had no idea that this could happen…I wasn't thinking in my right mind. You can't blame yourself for this." I whispered in his ear as his mouth ran over my shoulders and my neck.

As emotionally crazy as I was feeling, my body was heating up under his strong lips and hands. I couldn't help it, he could always make me want him. It felt like forever since I had let myself give in to his touch. Last night was more about me pushing myself forward. Now, I totally wanted him to make love to me. I knew I needed to stop before things got out of hand.

"Eric..Eric, can you help me? I need you to do this for me." I felt his lips and his hands stop exploring my body.

"I will do anything you ask of me my love." He looked at me and waited, unsure of what it was I needed.

"I need you to go in there and tell me the results of that test. I can't bring myself to look at it. I'm not ready to do this…I can't do this myself. Please, will you do this for me?" My words were a combination of desperation and defeat. I wanted to be strong enough to see this through. I didn't want to burden him with this type of request. But, I knew that he would never say No.

"Yes, I will interpret the results. Sookie, I have never even seen what these types of tests are. You will need to tell me how to read the results." His eyes were focused on my wrinkled face, he took my hand in his.

Of course he didn't know how to read a home pregnancy test. It's not like he ever had women knocking on his door claiming that he had fathered a child. Wait a minute, I've never had to take one of these tests before either. I mean, I've heard Arlene talk about them. I know the general idea, but I've never had to worry about being pregnant.

"This is new to me too, honey. It's not like I've ever really had to worry." My voice trailed off. I knew this was not the time to be bringing up my past lovers.

Bill, like Eric, did not have the ability to get me pregnant. Instant birth control when your sleeping with a vampire. Quinn and I had a very short lived relationship. We had always been careful when it came to sex.

I walked into the bathroom and picked up the box that the test had come in. I noticed that Amelia had purchased a two pack. There was still another foil wrapped test in the box.

"Well, it's pretty simple I guess. A plus sign means positive, and a minus sign means negative. That kind of takes the guesswork out of it." Leave it to Amelia to make sure she got the easiest and best test they made.

"Yes, that does sound quite simple. Are you ready Sookie?" He looked like an angel standing in front of me, waiting for my go ahead.

"No, are you ready?" We looked at each other and we both said a silent prayer to our gods. He nodded his head and went to it.

He walked towards the sink , keeping his eyes fixed on me. His eyes were as deep and blue as I had ever seen them. They were so wide that I almost couldn't tell that he had pupil's. I couldn't handle the tension that was filling the air. I folded my self down on to the bathroom floor. I pulled my knee's up to my chest and rocked back and forth. I could feel another wave of nausea come on.

He took the washcloth and dropped it on to the floor. He picked up the little, white stick and looked at it with glazed eyes. This test looked so small in his massive hands. How could this one little piece of modern technology have so much power over us? He held it like it was made of silver and was burning his skin.

I raised my head and tried to read anything coming off his body. As usual, he was unreadable, expressionless. He was so silent, so still. I watched him let out a very human, very unnecessary sigh. I saw one red tear slide down his cheek and his shoulders went limp. His blond hair fell into his face. My insides were screaming for him to speak.

"Sookie…No."

I let out a cry that must have shook the entire house. I expected Amelia to come running. I began hyperventilating and shrieking. I cried, I screamed, I was no longer in control of my body.

"Sookie, stop…lover, listen to me. It say's no…negative." He realized that I had interpreted his original response out of context. I had took his 'No' as, 'Oh No, what are we going to do'.

He was in front of me with such speed that I did not see him move. He was wrapping his long arms around me, trying to stop my body from shaking. He did what he thought was best to bring my mind back. He kissed me and crushed his mouth against mine.

Instinctively I threw my arms around his neck, letting myself drown in is kiss. I couldn't breath, but I didn't care. My body was humming with the emotions that were being exchanged.

"Negative? Are you sure? I saw you start to cry, I thought…are you certain?" All I could think about was that he had read it incorrectly.

"Yes, I am certain. The only thing on this contraption is one single minus sign. Sookie, it is negative. You are ok, I didn't make this worse for you." He truly felt that if that test was positive it would be his fault for taking me home that night.

He was kissing me again, rubbing his hands all over my body. Apparently the relief of knowing was stirring his feelings in all sorts of ways. I was not ready to make love to him. All I could focus on was what could have happened. Like usual, my eyes filled with tears. The emotion that had flooded out of my body was liberating.

I cried for myself and I cried for Eric. I cried for our future and what could have happened to my world. I buried myself into his chest and took deep gulps of air.

" SShh…lover, do not cry, please do not cry. I can't stand to hear you in so much pain." He rubbed my back and tried to sooth me with his voice.

"I can't help it. I'm just so relieved. I can't even wrap my brain around what I would have done if that test was positive. Thank you, thank you for doing that for me. I'm so sorry I had to ask you." I rubbed my face across his shirt, partially trying to dry off my face and partly to show my appreciation.

"I would do anything for you." He held me tight, making me feel just how serious he was.

"I know you would Eric. We need to tell Amelia, I'm sure she is pacing downstairs." I tried to push myself up off the tile floor, but my legs were still a little unsteady.

"I think that you should sit for just a few minutes more. You are obviously still in a state of shock." He pulled me into his lap and laid his head on my shoulder.

I felt his tongue start to trace an invisible line at the base of my ear. It tickled and caused me to squirm a little in his lap. This just added to his arousal. I could suddenly feel just how excited he was through my jeans.

"Lover, are you feeling…alright?" He whispered in my ear, letting the last word linger. I was torn between my fear and my obvious desire. I had made love to him last night. He did not refuse me, he did not turn me away. I knew that he would love me, no matter what.

The idea of sex was still so scary to me. I couldn't separate the idea that sex was both incredible and terrifying. In the arm's of my husband it was magic. Pure and simple pleasure. At the hand of a monster it was scary, painful, dark and insistent. The doctor was right, I was going to need someone to work on my brain too.

I turned myself towards him and took his face in my hands. I looked deeply in his eyes, as if I was trying to see his undead soul. I loved this man, with my everything that I was. He was my reason for living. He was the reason that I had the strength and the courage to rescue myself from my prison. That thought alone made me want him.

"Eric." That one word told him everything he needed to hear. He picked me up and cradled me in his arms, holding me to his chest as I held his eyes with my own. He laid me on my old bed and took me in. He smiled gently as he looked over my body.

I fought every instinct to cover myself and hide. I let him look at me, even though my mind was racing with unbearable anxiety. I reached my arms up to him and felt him put himself in my hands. I ran my hands over his arms, feeling the flexed muscles through his shirt.

He kneeled over me, one knee by my side while his other leg was still planted on the floor. He reached down and kissed me, slow and deep. I felt a very familiar heat spread throughout my entire body. I was so happy that I could still feel this. He brushed the hair from my face and kissed my nose.

"I love you Sookie." He let his hands slide down my thighs slowly, making sure I knew exactly what he was doing. He rubbed me through my jeans, enjoying the heat that was escaping through the thick denim.

I slipped my hands under his t-shirt and right up to his bare chest. I dragged my fingers across his erect nipples and listened as he moaned my name. I loved the way he responded to my touch. I pulled him down so he was now completely on top of me. I tugged his shirt off and let my teeth scrape his bare shoulder as his arms became free of the garment.

I nibbled that spot right at the base of his ear and weaved my fingers in his thick mane. I could feel how ready he was, but I wanted to remember this moment forever. I wanted to remember the feeling of wanting him, the relief on knowing, the control that I was able to hold.

I let my hand wander down to his jeans and fumbled with his belt and the buttons. He must have been a little anxious because he took my hand in his and freed himself of the pants in less than five seconds. I was feeling quite smug since he was almost naked, and yet I was still completely dressed. I looked down his body to see his soft, cotton boxers were being truly stretched to their max.

He inhaled my body, starting with the smell of my hair. It was a nice change to smell like shampoo and not dirt. He rubbed my breasts through my shirt and then decided that he needed to feel my skin against his. He pulled the sweater from my body and pinned my arms above my head as he tried to slip it off. He smiled at me as he saw that my chest was completely bared to him.

He licked my breasts and barely let his tongue touch my skin. It tickled and it was amazing. He knew that I liked the bra that I was wearing, so like a gentleman, he helped me remove it. He didn't even try to tear it from my body. He slipped his fingers inside the waistline of my jeans and tickled my stomach as he ran his finger over my skin.

I arched my body when I felt his touch, it was so soft, so gentle. He removed my jeans and kissed his way down my entire body, stopping along the way to make sure he paid attention to my most sensitive spots. I whimpered under his hands. He was feeling nothing but love and desire. I did not let a single ounce of fear come between us.

He laid the most gentle kisses on my stomach and hooked his finger around my panties. These he did rip from my body, he knew that they were easily replaceable. I did jump when I felt the sudden movement, but quickly made my self relax.

He positioned himself right above me, his eyes focused on my face. He held my head between his hands, rubbing my cheeks with his thumbs. I felt his erection press against my center, hovering, not entering. I smiled up at him and flicked my tongue out to catch the tip of his nose. He wrinkled his nose up at the sensation and laughed his very Eric laugh. I wrapped my legs around his waist and begged him with my thighs to enter me.

In one slow, long push he was completely inside of me, filling me. I moaned his name as I felt him slide in, there was no pain, no anxiety. There was nothing but pleasure and love. He thrust into me slowly, making sure I felt every inch of him. Our eyes were fixed on one another. It felt like we couldn't remove our gazes even if we had to.

I was swimming in the blue pools that were his eyes. I absorbed everything that I was feeling, just as he was remembering me. I moved along with him, in perfect rhythm. My hips pressed against his and we couldn't stop whispering our feelings to one another.

"My lover, I love the way I feel inside of you. I am not complete unless you are with me." I watched as the words flowed from him mouth.

"I love you, you are incredible. I will never leave you, I will be yours forever." When I spoke of myself being with him forever it always made us both think about what it would be like for me to be turned. Sometimes I did think about it, but I was pretty sure that I would never want that.

He began to move faster, ready to give us both the release that we so desperately needed. He hooked one of my legs up over his shoulder and made it easier for him to plunge deeper inside of me. I gasped as I felt him hit penetrate me that far.

My breath became erratic and heavy. I loved how he could do this to me, every time we made love. He reached down and kissed me hard, deep. I felt my climax start to begin and threw my head back, exposing my neck to him. He inhaled deeply and drew his cool tongue across the side of my throat.

"Eric…Eric, do it. I want to come and I want to feel you taking my blood. Now, please, God Eric…yes." I was coming unglued, and in a good way. I felt him thrust again and sink his teeth into my throat. I was no longer used to being bit here as Eric very seldom took from this spot.

It hurt, but it was a completely pleasurable pain. I screamed his name as his fangs broke the skin. I felt him suck the blood from my body and each time he drew I felt another wave of pleasure rip through my body.

"Oh, yes…Oh Eric." My mind was overflowing with emotion.

He stopped drawing on the wound because he was climaxing and needed to scream my name. He roared and began trembling as his own climax rocked him to his core.

"Sookie, Lover….Oh…Soookie!" As soon as his climax ended he was slamming his mouth back on to my lips. He was drinking in my very essence. It was amazing, I couldn't remember the last time that we had both had such an incredible orgasm. It was powerful, forceful, completely heavenly.

He collapsed on top of me and rolled himself to the side so that he was facing me. He rubbed my face and I tucked a stray piece of hair behind his ear. We were so content to just stay like that. We were silent. Words were not needed to express how happy we were. Anything that needed to be said was communicating silently through our bond.

TBC...


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N- Reminder, this story is dealing with a very adult subject matter. This chapter will be hard to read as Sookie will spill her secrets to Eric. If any violence towards women is unsettling to you, please do not read this chapter.**

Words could not describe the different emotions I was feeling. I was so completely satisfied that I knew I could just drift off to sleep for the entire night. I was so relieved that I was able to want Eric and enjoy him so intimately. I was elated with the fact that the test was negative. I was content to never move again.

I rested in his arms, happy to feel this close to him. He watched me as I worked through all of the things that I was feeling. I knew that he was happy to remain silent, there was no need to talk. I smiled at him and just let myself get lost in his mesmerizing eyes.

I have no idea how long I remained silent. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. All I knew was that I was…happy, comfortable? I haven't felt this way in a long time. For the first time in almost two weeks I felt safe. I placed my hand on his cheek and kissed him softly.

"I think I need to go tell Amelia the good news. I'm surprised she hasn't come running in here already." I whispered, knowing he could hear me as if I was shouting.

"Do not worry lover. I made sure that she locked the door when I came to you. The reason that she has not been running in here is because she can not. I knew that no matter what happened you would want some privacy. I will go unlock the door and send her in." He grinned at me, knowing that he had done the right thing.

He quickly threw on his jeans and nothing else, disappeared out the door, and was back within seconds. Damn vampire speed. Amelia was huffing like she had run up about fifteen flights of stairs to get to me. She looked scared, unsure, uneasy.

"No matter what Sook, I'm here for you. I'll do what ever you need me to do. Just name it…so?" She was agitated and unnerved from waiting.

"I'm fine Amelia, the test was negative. Everything is fine." As I spoke the words I felt my lip start to quiver. I fought back the urge to cry and took a deep breath through my nose, making sure I could stop the crying.

Amelia threw herself on the bed and didn't even seem to notice that I wasn't wearing any clothes under my bed covers. She hugged me a tight, relieved hug. I could feel how overcome with joy she was. I had my shields up as I could not bare to hear what she was thinking. I let her hold me for a couple of minutes before I got a little uncomfortable with being naked, even though I was not exposed to her.

"You have no idea how happy I am for you. Oh God, Sookie…my heart actually hurt for you. Oh, goodness…I see you and Eric have, celebrated. Let me just excuse myself so you can get back to whatever you were doing." She had realized that Eric was only wearing jeans and I was wearing, well…nothing. Amelia actually blushed a little, and it took a lot to make her blush.

"How kind of you Amelia. It makes me very happy to know how concerned you were for Sookie. Thank you for helping her through this. It is a great idea that you leave us now. If you will excuse yourself…" Eric sounded sincere, even though his face looked slightly annoyed.

I smiled deeply at Amelia and winked, knowing that she was going to have quite a laugh when she got back to the living room. She stood up and mock saluted Eric, only adding to his annoyance. It was as if she was giving him a sarcastic, 'Eye, Eye Captain'. I laughed at her and Eric just looked at me, unsure whether he should laugh or scold her for mocking him in that way. Hey, we're human…we don't bow or take orders well from anyone.

"Sookie, why does the witch insist on acting like such a child? You have no idea how irritating she can be." Eric look exasperated at her blatant disregard for his power.

"Eric, you know just as well as I do that she respects you. It's just that we human women really don't like being told what to do…especially by men. You may have minions and flunkies that bow to your every command and wish, but we hate it. How many times have you and I argued about your need to boss me around." I looked at him, daring him to keep going with this topic.

"Yes, but that was before. I know all too well how much you dislike being told what to do. Lover, she is just so… grating." He was clenching his teeth. That made me laugh even harder.

"Eric, she's my friend and I know that you love her…in your own vampire way. Really, she would do anything for me, and you know that. Now please, try to remember that she does not like being given commands. She is not one of your followers." I took him by the arm and pulled him to me, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Very well, I will remember that the witch is as stubborn as my beautiful wife." He kissed me and held me close. "So, shall we pick up where we left off?" His smirked at me and pulled the sheets away from my body, pretending to peak at me.

I felt all warm and fuzzy again, but I knew that there were some things that I needed to do.

"Actually, I would like to stop by Merlotte's and say hi to Sam. I wanted to see him earlier, but things sort of…happened." I really wanted to let him know that I was ok, at least physically.

"Oohh, really? Are you sure I can't make you reconsider?" He was actually whining. Whining from a 1000 year old vampire is hysterical.

"Seriously, are you actually whining? No, we will go see Sam and that's the end of it. You got it buddy? Any more whining and I'll call Amelia back here to make fun of you." I knew that he was feigning like he was going to pout.

"As you wish my wife." He looked at me, still trying to persuade me to stay in bed. I felt him let out a sigh when I actually got up and started to get dressed. I felt a quick flood of disappointment through the bond. I silently chuckled, happy to know that he still wanted me.

After I was dressed and presentable, we left my room and found Amelia sitting at the kitchen table. She looked like she had been crying, her face was tear stained and swollen.

"Honey, what's wrong? Are you alright?" I gave Eric a quick, disapproving glare, thinking that his dismissal of her before had really hurt her feelings.

"Yes, I'm fine Sookie. It just hit me all of a sudden. The whole thing just kind of sank in. You were hurt in ways that I can't even begin to wrap my brain around. I don't know how you can be so strong…you are the strongest person I know. I'm lucky that I have you, you are one of the best people I know." Her face looked like it had aged ten years in the short time since she had left my room. Her eyes searched my face, not sure of what it was she was looking for. I hugged her and was overwhelmed by her fragile state.

"Amelia, I will be fine. I survived and I am here. He didn't break me, I will never let anyone break me. I'm sorry I was so short with you earlier, I'm not as strong as you give me credit for." I was feeling guilty over my harsh words that I heaved at her earlier.

"No, you were right. How could I ever compare what you were going through to what we were going through. You had every right to yell at me and put me in my place." I felt Eric beam with a little pride, even though he had no idea what I had said to her. All he knew was that I said some hurtful things to Amelia and set her straight on some issues.

I threw a look over my shoulder making sure he knew that I didn't want his opinion on the matter. He knew to be quiet as soon as he saw, _the look_.

"Amelia, don't think about it. There is nothing wrong with any of us. Now, I'm going to Sam's so I can say Hi and let him know that I am just fine. So, are you coming or are you staying here?" I put my hands on my hips just to show Amelia that I was in no mood to dwell.

"No, you two go. I'll be just fine, I was just having a moment of weakness. Sometimes the world just really pisses me off." She laughed a little and smoothed her hair out with her hands.

"Are you sure, last chance?" I gave her a smile and let her know that we were fine.

"Yup, I'm positive. I need a good, hot shower and Tray will be here soon. Go, have a good time. " She stood up and looked at the both of us. I gave her another hug goodbye and we left.

Since Amelia had driven here earlier I did not need to worry about having both of our cars. I felt happy knowing that I wasn't going to have to drive home all by myself. Eric opened the door for me and kissed me as I slid into the passenger's side of the car.

"Are we really going to the shifter's place?" Again with trying to coax me to go home.

"Eric, if you don't stop I'm going to make you very sorry." I stumbled on my words and felt my throat close up. I suddenly felt like the world around me was slowing down. He must have felt something because he whipped his head around to look at me and pulled over to the side of the road.

"Sookie, what's wrong? I can feel that something is happening, tell me." He was frantic with what he was feeling through me.

"I sort of had a flash back. What I just said to you, Eric, I didn't mean any of it. I'm sorry, please… I am so sorry." I was almost panting, trying to calm myself down. I had heard those very words from my attacker…'Scream and I will make you very sorry'. He said that to me the first few times. He had made good on his words. Each time I screamed I was treated to some type of disgusting punishment. My body was beginning to tremble with fear.

"Sookie, please tell me what is wrong. I know that you would never punish me, not without making it fun. " He tried to help me with humor.

"No Eric, you don't understand. _He_ said that to me. He told me if I screamed I would be very sorry. Eric, I screamed more than a few times, and each time he would hurt me more. Please, I'm sorry that I said that to you." I covered my face with my hands, trying to shelter my mind from the memory. I felt the anger within him. I could feel the raging heat that was jumping off his body.

"He told you that you would be sorry? Please, my love. I need to know what it is that he did to you. Please, let me help you." He took my hands away from my face and forced me to look at him. He was hoping that the calm of his eyes would calm me.

"I can't…I don't want to say it." I was shaking my head hoping he would back off.

"Sookie, you need to release yourself from all of this. You have been strong enough. Let me carry some of this and help you. Please, tell me what he did to you." His voice became more urgent and deliberate.

I stared at my hands and fidgeted with the sleeves of my shirt. I bit my bottom lip and tried to push through my fear. Could he be right? Would it make me feel less burdened if I told him? Or, would he look at me differently, knowing what had actually been done to me?

"Eric, please don't make me do this. I just can't, I can't risk…" He cut me off and pulled me into him.

"You can't risk what? Speaking of the horror that you saw? You can't risk telling me, letting another help you?" He actually sounded upset with me.

"No! I can't risk you never looking at me the same way again. I can't handle the thought of you loving me less." I sobbed as the words came out of my mouth. I was terrified that if he knew exactly what happened that I would lose him forever.

"My love, there is nothing in the world, or any other world that would ever make me love you less. You can tell me anything, nothing will change between us, nothing." He spoke with such force that I knew he truly believed every word that he just said. "Please, you must tell me. I need to help you get through this." He rubbed my shoulders and kissed my head softly.

I wiped my face with my hands and looked out the window. It had become fogged with my heavy breathing and I needed to wipe a little patch of glass in order to look outside. If I was going to tell him anything I certainly could not look at him.

"He hurt me, more than I have ever been hurt. I would rather be shot 100 times over than experience the things he did to me. He laughed at me when I begged him to give me my clothes. He spit on me when I was shivering on the ground." I paused as I remembered the first day in that hell. My voice was unemotional and unattached. "The first day I was there he threatened me. He told me that if I screamed I would be very sorry. I was already gone with that stuff that he shot me up with. I remember him beating me, the pain that I felt as he through me up against those cement walls. I screamed at the pain and that just gave him the go ahead to hurt me more. He told me that he had warned me and now I was going to be sorry." I allowed myself to become completely unattached to my mind and my body. I let myself go numb as I was about to detail my imprisonment.

"He would grab fists full of my hair and he would slap me until I was bleeding from my mouth and my nose. He would throw me on the cold cement ground and he would slam my head into the floor. The first few times I fought back, trying to keep him from taking me. All that did was make him more eager to…force himself on me. The first time he raped me I was in shock. He held his hand over my mouth and taunted me about screaming. It was awful, painful…dirty. He smelled like stale booze and cigarettes." I could actually smell him as I spoke the words, it was turning my stomach.

"When he was done taking me that way he would grab me, slam his hands inside me and it almost felt like he was trying to scratch my insides out. When he was feeling really mean, and really wanted to make me sorry for screaming he would take me by the head and force my mouth open. He would shove himself in my mouth and he would threaten to hurt me worse if I even considered biting him. Considering what he had already done to me, I decided it was best not to test that theory." I gagged at the memory and Eric knew how bad things truly were. I could feel that he was actually feeling as sick as I was. He remained silent as I told my tale.

"Sometimes he would bring things inside that room, and he would…use them on me. He would laugh as I cried and that would make him either kick me or beat me. He never really said much, just kept telling me how sorry I would be if I screamed again. I lost track of the days after a while. I had no idea what day it was, or if it was day or night. The drugs he kept giving me were awful. I couldn't think straight and I couldn't form any words to try and call to anyone. After a while I knew that it was better to just lay there and pretend to be passed out from the way he had beat me. My body stung and every time he touched me or took me it would burn. It felt like someone was pouring salt water on open wounds. It would rip through my body and it took everything I had not to scream in pain, I was too afraid." The window had fogged up again and I needed to clear another spot for me to focus on.

"That last day was the worst. I remember him coming in and just looking at me like I was trash, used up and dirty. I saw that he had a knife in his hand and I was so scared. He touched that knife to my skin and it was so cold. I thought that he was going to stab me. But, he wanted to hurt me first. He took that knife and he, he…" I couldn't say the words. The memory was causing me to feel that pain all over again. It was radiating throughout my body and I was overcome. "Eric, he took the knife and he…"

"Please, you don't have to say it lover. I was in that room very soon after you killed him. I know what he did with that knife. I know the torture that your body went through with that knife." Eric was crying, he was sickened by my words and I was terrified that he was thinking of me in a very dirty way. Not the dirty way he normally thought of me. He grabbed me and made me look at him, right in his eyes.

"Sookie, no one should have to suffer the atrocities that you have lived through." He held my face between his hands and willed me to let go of the pain and the memories that had invaded my mind. "I will do everything I can to help make you forget. I will do anything to help you with this. I am sorry, I am so sorry that I could not find you." I looked at him and saw the red begin to swell over his eyes. I could feel how guilty he felt over not being able to help me. I felt the rage and I could only think that the rage was directed at me.

"Eric, can you look at me the same, can you handle knowing what he did to me? If not I need to know now so I can try to pick up the pieces of my life. I need to know so I can try to figure out how I am going to live without you." I was feeling like a child begging for forgiveness. I was numb to the events that were unfolding in front of me. For some reason I was suddenly feeling empowered, ready to handle whatever his response to my confession was.

"Sookie, if it is even possible…I love you more. Do not ever doubt my love for you. All you have done is confirm how strong and brave you are. I will never look at you with anything except true acceptance and true love. You are my entire world, and nothing and no one will ever change that. Do you understand me? Tell me that you understand that I will never think of you as something other that my Bonded, my wife." He kissed me in a way that was only meant to tell me that I was still his. I was the only thing that he wanted and that was never going to change.

I was coming back to reality, the detachment that I had forced earlier was wearing off. I was becoming very aware that I had just told Eric everything that happened to me. I pulled away from his kiss and looked at him.

"Oh God Eric! Oh God…Oh God he hurt me." I was choking on my words as they poured out of my mouth. I almost couldn't understand myself. I was allowing the reality to take hold of my body. I had locked myself away in my room for days, not wanting to handle what had happened to me. Then I pushed myself into my former life, trying to bury the thoughts.

Now, there was nothing to stop me from grieving for my former self. I was forever changed, and I could never go back to the ways things were. "He…he raped me and he hurt me. Oh please, please make it stop. Please make it go away. Oh God please, Eric please." I gripped his arms and held on like I was falling from the sky. I dug my fingers into his flesh, hoping he could stop the pain that was enveloping me.

I was unable to breath, unable to think about anything other than what had happened to me. "Oh…no, no. God, I can't take this…Eric." I screamed his name and my voice made howling noises that came from my very center.

All he did was hold me, he let me scream and let me hold on to him for dear life. He was being exactly what he needed to be, my rock. I needed to scream and I needed to realize that I was a changed woman. We sat in that car and I cried for the next two hours. The only thing he said to me was that he loved me, over and over again. He loved me.

TBC…

**A/N- I'm sorry to those that had a hard time reading Sookie's description of what she had been through. I thought it was very important for her to accept what had happened. I also thought that it was needed in order to allow Eric into this piece of her mind. In order for Sookie and Eric to move on and heal there needs to be no secrets between them. I felt that Eric needed to know exactly what pain she had suffered in order to help her.**


	10. Chapter 10

I fell into another funk, so to speak. After Eric brought us home I let him carry me to our bedroom, I was so completely exhausted from crying for two hours. Not to mention the whole emotional mess of the pregnancy possibility. I remember him undressing me and putting me into clean clothes to sleep in. He got me comfortable in bed and I remember him sliding in beside me. He held me until I fell asleep, which I can only assume was minutes.

I refused to get out of bed for the next two weeks. Eric tried everything he could think of the get me motivated. He would bring me food, I would force myself to eat bits and pieces of it. I would shower about every fifth day. He would sit there and look at me, and all I could feel through our bond was guilt. I just wasn't in any shape to try and help him with his emotional issues.

He would send people to stay with me during the day. Amelia, Sam, Claudine. I wasn't the best company. Our conversations always ended up the same way, them begging me to get up and get moving, me throwing a pillow at them and burying my head in covers.

All I wanted was to be left alone. I know that they just wanted to help, everyone of them had my best interest at heart. I had to beg Eric to stop sending people to baby sit me. He insisted that they were all there out of their own concerns, and not of his request.

One afternoon the Detective came to the house and Amelia was there so of course she let her in. I didn't even get out of bed to talk with her. Amelia let her into the bedroom and I spoke to her, all the while laying in my bed. I'm sure she had seen worse in her years on the force. She kept telling me that I needed to call this friend of hers that was a shrink. She left me her card, it's still sitting on the table next to the bed.

"Sookie, please…I am so worried about you. I know that you need to eat. You are losing too much weight my love. Please…" Eric was back to pleading with me. I knew that he was lonely and that he was desperately trying to make me better. But I also knew that his blood was not the magic cure all that would save me this time around.

"Eric, I've already told you, I'm just not hungry. Maybe I'll be hungry tomorrow. I don't want to keep arguing about this. Please don't keep asking me to eat." I had been telling him 'tomorrow' for ten days now. "I'm just really tired, that's all. Go ahead and go to work, I'll be fine." I had been forcing him to go to Fangtasia and leave me at home for the past week. I was not willing to let him get pulled down into my own tailspin.

"I can stay. Pam will be fine running things on her own. All I have to do is call her and let her know that I won't be in tonight." I could hear in his voice that he really wanted me to ask him to stay. He was hoping that I would invite him into bed with me and just hold him close.

"No, go ahead. I know you have a lot of work to do. Please, I will be just fine." It broke my heart to see his face when he knew that I was sending him away again. He had stopped fighting me finally. He knew on some levels that I was right. He still did have work to get done, and I was going to be in the same exact spot when he got home.

I also knew that his concern for me was growing more with each passing day. From the way my body felt I would venture to guess that I had lost about ten pounds or more. I was constantly tired and beyond irritable. I was taking all of my anger and my rage out on him, and none of this was his fault.

We hadn't made love since we left my Gran's house that evening. Eric also had not had my blood since that time. I shuttered to think how he must have been feeling. The state I was in made me have no desire for sex. Eric on the other hand, he was a vampire. They always have a desire for sex and for blood.

Eric hadn't been gone for more than a half hour. I laid in my bed staring at the ceiling, I was becoming more and more obsessed with this idea. Eric was a vampire. Vampires needed blood to survive. Yes, they could live on that synthetic shit, but I knew how much Eric hated that. I knew for a fact that Eric would take human blood over bottled blood any day of the week.

Sex, now that's a whole new ball game. Eric is sex, everything about him. You can't go anywhere without women throwing themselves at him, even if I'm with him. Wedding ring be damned. Now, if he hasn't had sex in two weeks, hasn't fed from a human in two weeks, plus his wife won't even shower. Oh hell…what the Christ am I doing?

I felt an urgency inside of me as I let my mind wander to some very unpleasant thoughts. Never had I questioned Eric's faithfulness to me. I knew that the moment we came together, finally came together, that we would never be separated. I knew the vows we made to one another when we got married were as true as could be. But suddenly I was overwhelmed at the idea of his infidelity.

I saw images of him with blond fang bangers. I saw them sitting on his lap, nibbling that special spot behind his ear, whispering naughty thoughts to him. I pictured him running his tongue down their necks, over their breasts, sinking his teeth into their shoulders and breasts as he fed himself. I saw him bend one of these whore's over his office desk as he took her, slowly drinking from her and fucking her at the same time.

I was making myself crazy, well, crazier than I was already acting. I leapt out of bed and began pacing back and forth. My legs were weak from laying around for so long. I could not get these thoughts out of my mind. The only thing that I could do was change the hair color of the banger.

I grabbed my cell phone and dialed Eric as fast as I could. It rang and rang and he didn't answer. I suddenly had a very present, very large lump in my throat. I decided not to leave a message. Instead I hung up, waited thirty seconds, and called back again. I got the same result. The lump was growing in size, along with the sinking feeling in my gut.

I called the direct line to Fangtasia. Normally I hated calling this number, it took forever to get to a live, or undead person. You had to wait to get through all of the prompts, and Pam had thought that it was funny to have the option to press '0' to get an operator removed.

Some person that I have never heard before answered the phone. She must be brandy new because I'm certain I would remember such a young sounding voice. She could not have been more than eighteen years old.

"Fangtasia, the bar with bite!" She actually sounded excited, like it was her first night on the job. Her southern accent made her sound sweet and innocent.

"I need to speak with Eric Northman." I was in no mood to be pleasant.

"Oh, honey…we all need to speak to Eric Northman. But, I'm sorry…he is not to be disturbed." She still sounded so very sweet and charming. My face was burning, I was not quite ready to pull the wife card just yet. I wanted to see how far I could take this. At least I knew he was in the bar and for some reason not answering his cell phone.

"I don't think you understand. I need to speak to Eric, I know that he is there, so why don't you go get him for me. Are we understanding each other?" I thought that my teeth were going to break they were clenched so tightly.

"I understand you just fine Miss. The problem seems to be on your end. Mr. Northman is entertaining this evening and he is Not To Be Disturbed. I would be happy to take a message. I'm sure he would call you back…whenever. Can I get your name?" I was beyond the point of control. All I needed to hear was the word entertaining. In my mind entertaining could only mean one thing….

I heard Pam in the background. "Audrey, who is on the phone? And why do you have that ridiculous smile on your face? What have Eric and I told you about looking that way?"

"Sorry Miss Pam, there's this girl on the phone demanding to talk to Eric. I told her that he's entertaining." I heard her snicker. I was sucking air into my lungs like I was trying to suck up the entire world. "She sounds like she's about to pass out" chuckling.

"Audrey, is that Sookie? Did you ask if that is his wife you fucking stupid shit? Audrey, tell me if that is Sookie?" I heard a slight tinge of panic in Pam's voice and I hung up the phone. I was crying because I was sure that my fears were in fact reality.

Eric had gone to work and given in to the temptation of the women that are constantly surrounding him. He must have seen something he liked and decided to entertain her in his office. He must have given word to his staff to not disturb him. I was a raving lunatic. My pacing had turned into a full blown fit. My arms were flailing as I talked myself into this fantasy affair.

I was not going to be made a fool of. I had already been humiliated and victimized enough. Not his time, not by my own husband. No way in hell was I going to let him get away with this. I mean, I'm having a rough patch. I'll get through it. For better or worse, right? Wasn't this the worse? Wasn't he still supposed to want to be with me? Isn't he still suppose to forsake all others, even if I'm having a hard time?

I grabbed a pair of flip flops and didn't even look in the mirror. I hadn't showered in three days. My hair was dirty, lifeless, stringy. My skin was no longer its tanned, slightly golden color. It was pale, malnourished, deeply neglected. I had not a care about my appearance. All I wanted to do was get to that bar and stop what I was sure was happening.

I grabbed my car keys and ran into the garage. It hit me all of a sudden, I was alone. I was completely alone and it was the first time since Eric had brought me home from the hospital. My nerves and my emotions were bouncing like a rubber ball. I shut my eyes, flung open my car door, jumped inside, and locked myself in. I even jiggled the door handle to may sure that the locks really worked.

I took several deep breaths and remembered why I had started out on this little hissy fit in the first place. Right, catching my sorry ass Viking fucking some whore. Wow, I was really losing my mind. Never, never have I thought like this. I felt an ounce of guilt at my doubt for Eric, but unfortunately my warped sense of reality was getting the best of me.

I raced towards Fangtasia, dead set on catching him in the act. If this was going to happen, at least I was going to finish it. But, did I blame him? I had been the one denying him sex and blood. I had been the one shutting him out. This was my fault…I drove him to this. I drove my own husband, my bonded into the arms of another woman, a fang banging whore never mind you. Who could blame him, really? I hadn't moved from our bed in weeks. I was certainly not at my most, hygienic. Certainly not the woman he married.

At least when I married him I knew what I was getting. I knew the whole picture and I took him anyway. I knew all sides of him, the good, the bad, the ugly, (not that there was anything ugly about him).

He was kind of blind sided by me. He had no idea what he was getting himself into. I mean, he knew the telepath shit, and that other vampires and supes wanted to get their hands on me. He had no idea that I was going to turn into this. I felt myself crying, I was shocked that I was accepting the fact that it was ok that I drove him to another woman.

I sped into the lot and saw that the place was jam packed, as usual. No need to look at my reflection in the vanity mirror…little to late to keep up appearances. I looked myself over quickly. Gray sweatpants, navy blue sweatshirt, one size too big, and no bra. Oh, to top the look off, pink flip flops. Hell, I was a sight. No turning back, I was here and I was ready to take on the whore.

I grabbed my bag and held it tightly to my chest. I was yet to step out of the car. I could hear my heart pounding out of my chest at the idea of walking through the parking lot. I looked around and there were people walking from every direction. Each person I heard caused my head to snap their way.

I didn't know whether to unlock my car door and make a break for it, or casually stroll towards the entrance, hoping to not cause a stir. At least I knew that the first step was actually unlocking the car door. I couldn't do anything if I just sat in my car all night. Besides, the longer I sat there, the more Eric would come to realize that I was very, very close by.

I clicked the lock button and jumped a little as I watched the little latch flip.

"Good job Sookie. You can do this". I spoke out loud, giving myself encouragement. It felt like a huge step to unlock that car door. "Just open the door girl. No one is gonna grab you at a vamp bar. Especially not a bar that your husband owns." I could hear the doubt in my own voice.

"Come on, just open the door and walk inside. I can scream if anything happens. He'll hear me, or Pam. Someone will hear me if I scream. Do it, open it. Open the door, Sookie." I began to yell at myself and I'm pretty sure that people were staring at me.

I could see my hand tremble as I reached for the door handle. I reached several times and stopped just before I touched the shiny lever. With one last deep breath I closed my eyes and heard the lever release. The only thing to do now was put one foot in front of the other.

TBC...


	11. Chapter 11

I stepped out of the car and I shut it behind me. The sounds around me were suddenly magnified, like I had vampire senses, but hadn't had any blood to increase my hearing ability.

I looked around and slowly made my approach towards the entrance. I decided to take my chances and take the quieter, darker, employee door around the corner. It took all my courage to walk myself away from the people and into the abyss of silent darkness.

I knew that if Pam spotted me she would tip Eric off and he would send the other woman running. If I was going to do this I wanted to do it the right way. Was there really a right way to spy on your 1000 year old vampire husband?

I needed to get inside quickly. Not only for my own sense of security, but because sooner or later Eric was going to come looking for me. I'm pretty sure that he didn't want to find me skulking around his employee door. Especially since I hadn't moved from our bed in over two weeks. I picked up the pace and hurried through the heavy door.

There was no one in the hall way. No one to stare at my obvious haphazard condition. Good luck explaining that one away. 'Um, Eric and I are just role playing. He finds some poor, peasant girl that was being held prisoner…and he…uh….he rescues her, yeah, he rescues her and sweeps her away to a far away land.'

Sure, they'd really believe that one. Look at what lengths I would go through to fill my role, I would even starve myself. That is just how much I love my husband. I could just see Felecia looking at me. She's already petrified of me, my sudden, extra dose of craziness just might put her over the undead edge.

I was obviously having some mental issues at that point. All I wanted to do was find out if Eric was feeding, at the very least, from some other woman. I began to tiptoe towards his office. I was trying to walk as lightly as possible, even though I knew that he had super sensitive hearing. He would pick up my noticeable smell of course.

I saw that the door was almost completely closed, just a sliver of a crack was open. I crept towards the door, like I was casing the joint. I crouched down, trying to hide myself in the walls. I was squinting my eyes, trying to see through that tiny sliver of an opening.

I was thankful that I did have Eric's blood somewhat recently. The remaining side effects were enough to give me slightly better vision and I was happy about that. I blocked out everything around me, the noise of the people in the bar area, the thumping of the music through the walls, the shrieking sounds of giddy girls when they saw a cute vampire.

I focused all of my energy on any movement, any noise inside of his office. I was as still as I have ever been, knowing that I could be caught at any moment. I may have actually stopped breathing, it all kind of began to blur.

I saw legs, and they certainly weren't those of my husband. These legs were a woman's. They were very nice, very long, very sexy. They were covered in black, silk stockings. And I saw very expensive, very high heels. My heart was breaking, I was right. My Eric, my lover, my everything. I did this, I pushed him into this.

It was like a car crash, I couldn't pull myself away. I needed to stay and see what was going to happen. I needed to put a face to those legs. What if it was someone I knew? I could tell by how long those legs were that they did not belong to Pam. She's is petite like me.

I heard some muffled voices, but I couldn't make out what they were saying to each other. For all I knew they were speaking sweet nothings under their breath. I decided to press my luck and inch ever so slightly closer.

I saw moving in the room, like they were shifting themselves. For a quick second I thought I saw someone else in there with them. Oh Hell, if your going to cheat, why not go for the gold. Get as many as you can in one night. My stomach was doing flips, my heart was pounding, I could feel sweat start to run down the side of my face.

The voices in the room began to grow louder, they were becoming heated. It was almost as if they were arguing. I saw the woman get up off of the couch that she was seated on, but she did not turn towards the door, her back was still to me. She was standing in front of Eric. I could see that she was wearing a very nice black dress. At least she didn't look cheap, not from the back anyway.

There was something odd about this exchange. If this was a fang banger, why would she be having any type of actual conversation with him? Wouldn't he be more interested in doing the deed and getting back out on to the floor in hopes of snaring another snack for the night? Or, was he so desperate for any type of connection that he was willing to settle for petty talk with the vermin?

God, what have I done? I made my self a promise to call that doctor that the detective had recommended. I really needed some help. Here I am, sneaking around in my husband's bar, hoping to catch him being unfaithful, but apparently forgiving him? Because…this was all my fault? Since when did the world revolve around me? Since when did my behavior cause everyone else around me to go off and turn crazy?

I watched as Eric suddenly became more animated, he was acting unlike himself and I could suddenly feel his anger through our bond. Was he being denied by this fang banger? No, this was not rejection…this was more. He was very angry, something deep inside him was really pissed off. I took this opportunity to tiptoe closer, knowing that his yelling would cover the sound of me approaching.

"No, that is not going to happen. I will not let that happen. I just can not go right now. I can not leave at this moment. It is not a refusal! You must understand, I am losing her. I am losing my wife and I can not fight against her own mind. She is slowly going mad and she will not let me help her. I can not leave her right now. I will not!" Eric's angry voice boomed through the room. He was yelling at this woman.

I did not know whether to run away, or run to him. Either way, his opinion of me is that I am losing my mind. I am going crazy, I am officially Crazy Sookie. Before I got the chance to make up my mind on if I should stay or run, the door to the bar creaked open.

A very perky blond came walking through carrying a case of empty blood bottles. She was humming a very annoying tune, probably making it up as she went along. My look obviously shocked the hell out of her. Her jaw dropped to the ground and I think she may have choked on her gum.

"Who the hell are you?" Same sweet, innocent voice that I spoke to earlier. She sure was brandy knew, and I'm pretty sure that after tonight she was not going to be working her much longer.

"Ssshh…don't you dare ask me who I am. I should be asking you that question?" I tried to hush her, and whispered my demand to her, hoping she could hear me.

"I work hear, I'm Audrey. Now, tell me who the hell you are or I'll call my boss, and you really don't want me to do that." She actually had taken the hint and whispered her answer back to me. "Trust me, if he finds you here, sneaking around, you'll be mighty sorry. Are you some crazy ex-friend or something? Honey, you got to let it go, he's married now." She was still whispering. Even her mind was whispering what she was really thinking.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, this has got to be one of the craziest looking women I have ever seen. I know he's gorgeous and all, but is he really good enough to drive women mad? Poor thing needs a good long bath.

"Listen, Audrey…I know he's married. I'm his wife. I'm Sookie." Shit, panic through the bond, movement, steps. He was walking towards the door. I looked at Audrey and gave her my best 'please don't rat me out' stare.

I pushed my way through the door and just looked at him. He was taken aback by my ghastly look. I looked around the room as I stood there, frozen in his eyes. The legs, the shoes, they belonged to Sandy, as in Felipe De Castro's Second.

The third person that I thought I saw, yup, that would be Felipe himself. I had really screwed this up. I heard a collective gasp from both Sandy and Felipe. Eric looked like he was been punched in the stomach. He knew that something must have been terribly wrong for me to have shown up like this at the bar.

He looked at Audrey, still standing in the hall, not sure what the hell was going on. I prayed that she did not mention that she found me listening outside his office door.

"Master, she was coming in as I was bringing these bottles back. I was going to knock but she said that you wouldn't mind. I guess y'all had the same idea at the same time since you practically mowed each other down." She smiled big, must be the same smile Pam was berating her for earlier. She excused herself and nodded at Eric.

The room fell silent. No one was able to take their eyes off of me. I looked like hell. Actually, hell probably looked like a tropical paradise compared to my current state. None of the vampires really knew what to say. I was quite happy that I was not able to ready any of their minds at that moment. Sandy actually looked sorry for me, it was not the most comforting sight.

"Miss Stackhouse….I beg your pardon, Mrs. Northman" Felipe bowed his head to me. "Forgive my error, I must always remember how fortunate our Viking here was to take you as his wife. What brings you out this evening? It is always a pleasure to see you, but child, you do not appear to be well?" Leave it to Felipe to cut right to the chase.

"Good evening King. I apologize for my sudden appearance. I needed to get in touch with my husband and was unable to do so. Would you mind excusing us for just one moment?" I bowed to him, the best bow that an American woman knows how to do, and took Eric's arm. I led him to the parking lot and away from prying eyes and ears.

"Sookie, what the hell are you doing?" Eric did not seem the least bit pleased with my presence.

"Eric, I'm sorry. I tried to call you…I tried to call your cell phone and you didn't answer. I shouldn't have come, go back to Felipe and Sandy. I shouldn't be here, we can talk about this later. I promise, I'll tell you everything. Just go back to what you were talking about, it seemed pretty tense when I walked in." I tried to push him back towards the bar but he just grabbed my wrist and held on.

"What the hell is going on? I left my cell phone up on my chair because I was so surprised by Felipe's unannounced visit, much like your own." His words were stinging me as he looked down at me through his narrow eyes. "Why didn't you call the bar's number?"

"I did. Don't you think I'm smart enough to do that? Or am I too crazy to know what to do?" Woops, I really need to learn to think before I speak. Now he knew that I was there a little longer than had been let on. I bit my lip and turned my eyes to the ground.

"What did you just say?" His voice was very tense and I could feel how angry he was. "Answer me." I knew that there was no point denying it any longer.

"Eric, can we please talk about this when you get home. I don't want you to keep the king waiting. Please, I promise, we'll talk the minute you get home." I hoped that this would hold him off.

"Like you promise to eat something tomorrow? Or, like you promise to get out of bed and call the doctor that the police detective recommended? No, that is not going to work right now. I suggest you tell me what is going on." There was no gentleness in his voice.

"Eric, I overheard only like ten seconds of your conversation. All I heard you say was that you thought I was going crazy. That's all, I swear. Now, please, I want to go home and take a shower. We can talk about the rest later." I reached for the car handle and Eric grabbed my hand.

"Sookie, we will discuss this when I get home. I will not care if you are tired and I will not care if you want to be left alone. Are we understanding each other?" His face was close to my ear as he made sure I heard his whisper. I nodded, knowing he was serious.

He did not kiss me goodbye. He did however make sure that I pulled out of Fangtasia safely. I could see him in the rearview mirror, almost glowing as the security light illuminated his massive body against the darkness. I watched as his outline disappeared and I drove down the quiet road, alone.

The silence was deafening. The enormity of what I did was hitting me like nothing I had ever known. I had not only thought, but accepted the idea that Eric was being unfaithful to me. I had even gone on some stealth mission to try and catch him in the act. Even if I had caught him, what good would that have done? What positive outcome would that have had? We would still have been bonded.

Eric thought I was going crazy. He was yelling at Sandy and Felipe, telling them he couldn't leave me alone because he was afraid of losing me? Where did they want him to go? And more importantly, why couldn't I go with him? Although, I'm pretty sure after my little stunt tonight he didn't want me going anywhere with him.

Am I really going crazy? Tired…yes. Depressed…sure. Angry…absolutely. Crazy? People have always thought I had a touch of crazy in me. Maybe they were all right. Maybe this is just the old crazy coming out for the party. Maybe I'm not going crazy, maybe I'm just revisiting crazy. Kinda like a vacation spot, a place that you only get to see a couple of times in your life. Sometimes it's exactly what you expected, other times it's nothing that you bargained for.

Would Eric forgive me? I'm pretty sure that the feelings I was getting through the bond were directed towards me and towards Felipe. He was very angry, very concerned, very…sad? He was awash in his own emotions. He knew that he wanted to hurry Felipe and Sandy out of Fangtasia, but he also knew that he needed to be a gracious host to his King.

All I could do was wait and anticipate what was going to happen next. It really wasn't any worse than anticipating seeing my husband having sex with another woman. I drove into our driveway and shut the garage door safely behind me. I sat in my car and silently went over the entire night in my mind

I tried to decipher my real thoughts from my overzealous thoughts. Did I really think that Eric was going to cheat on me, or was that my unhealthy mind? Did I really want to stay in this funk that had taken over my life, or did I want to take back control? Did I want to continue pushing the people that cared about me away, or did I want to allow them to help me?

Since crying seemed the be the thing I was best at, that is what I did. I let my head fall forward on to the steering wheel and I cried. My life was spinning out of control and I felt like I had no way to stop it. Everything around me was falling apart. Everything I knew had changed, most of all me. The Sookie I used to know would never doubt Eric's love, or his faithfulness. I would never doubt his feelings for me. Now I didn't know what I felt, I was just so torn.

I closed my eyes and let the tears roll down my cheeks, I didn't sob, I didn't gasp. All I did was silently cry, alone. That was what I was feeling, nothing but alone. I thought that there was no one that could possibly understand everything that I was going through. I was doubting every part of my life, and now I was doubting my sanity. I needed help, and I was ready to reach out.

I must have sat there for a long time, lost in my own thoughts. I heard the other garage door open and knew that Eric had gotten rid of the king faster than expected. I jumped when I heard the gears and levers of the mechanism start to open. That's twice tonight he's going to be shocked to see me. He got out of the car and immediately felt my presence with him.

"Sookie, why are you in the car? Are you going on another random…mission?" OK, he still was angry.

All I could do was look at him through blurry eyes. "Eric, I'm so sorry. Let's go inside and talk, I'll tell you everything. I'm ready, I know that I need help." I smiled at him hoping that he would see that my need was genuine.

"You are right Sookie, we do need to talk." He did not smile back at me.

TBC…………..


	12. Chapter 12

The words actually hung from his lips, 'we do need to talk". They were bouncing off the corners of my brain. They were bumper cars, ricocheting against my skull. The tone in his voice, the angst in his eyes, the hardness of his mouth. I looked at him, unable to pick up anything from his face.

I stepped out of the car as he held the door open for me. He took my hand to guide me to my feet and walked me into the house, never stopping to kiss me in greeting as he always did. I knew he could feel how guilt ridden I was, but I also knew that he was doing his best to control himself. There was something more going on, something more that I was not aware of yet.

We walked upstairs and into the bedroom. I sat on the bed and watched as he took of his shoes and made himself comfortable.

"Sookie, do you need anything? Do you want something to eat?" He waited for my answer, and when I paused he answered for me. "Of course not, maybe tomorrow, right?" The ice in his voice was making my body shiver.

"I will eat later tonight, after we get done talking. I would like a shower? Care to join me?" I actually did want him to come with me. I needed to feel him wrap his arms around me and just be with me. I needed to feel our connection more than anything.

"No." My eyes flashed at his. He had just said No, and he apparently meant it. Oh, I really upset him. His voice was so flat, so decisive with his answer, just a simple and concise, No.

I lowered my head quickly so he would not see the tears fill my eyes. I got off the bed and walked as fast as I could to the bathroom, shut the door behind me, and locked it for good measure. When I turned the water on I let the sound of my tears come out. The water should drown the noise out, at least I hoped. I could feel him through the bond, he was hurting so badly, just as I was. But why did he turn me away?

I crouched down on the bathroom floor while the tub filled and leaned my head and my back against the wooden door, I just let my head flop there, crying to myself about the man I love not wanting me.

The bathroom was beginning to fill with the scent of eucalyptus and spearmint, it's supposed to be stress relief aromatherapy. I don't care really what it is, it just smells nice. The air had fogged over with the steam from the hot water and I knew that I needed to get in before it started to get cold.

I missed taking bath's with Eric, hell I hate doing everything without Eric. He is my entire world. Every part of my life has something to do with him. Not just major decisions that married couples make, but little things, like picking out a DVD to rent on a Sunday night, or should we go to the Bon Temps annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. I missed everything, every tiny second.

I stood up against the door and crossed my fingers over the lock, I quietly unlocked it. I stepped into the tub and sank down in to the hot, aromatherapy water. Go figure, spearmint and eucalyptus bring stress levels down. I inhaled the air and closed my eyes, allowing the scent to envelop my senses. I could feel that my tears were falling, again. I was here alone and I had very clearly asked Eric to join me, and he still said a very strong, NO. He did not want me.

Eric sat on the other side of the door, I could feel that he knew I was berating myself for my behavior. Maybe I could make him feel that I was doing what I thought was necessary. Maybe I could make him see that I was somehow acting…brave? I thought that I needed to protect myself and my marriage, so I ran into the bar to help stop things before they got out of hand?

He must have felt something that I was feeling because I suddenly felt a tinge of sorrow coming from him. I also felt the other thing that he was holding back from me. There was definitely something that he was not telling me and whatever it was, it was big. I could feel how uneasy this was making him, and I was willing to put good money up that it had something to do with Felipe's sudden arrival.

I had been acting very poorly, even though I had been through hell. I knew that it was time for me to get help, and I was ready to show Eric that I was going to make that commitment. As soon as I get through with this bath I was going to call that doctor, I can leave a message with her answering service to have her call me first thing tomorrow.

With my new found resolve, and anticipation of moving forward, I let my eyes close. I thought about the future and decided that things could only get better. I had hit rock bottom. I had doubted my husband's fidelity, stormed into his business, and embarrassed him in front of the king. It was time to put my big girl pants on and look down the barrel of the gun. Bring it on.

Eric dropped his clothes and had silently opened the door, somehow knowing that I had unlocked it. I never even heard him come in. He crept up behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders. As soon as I felt them I jumped up and went to cover my breasts out of instinct. I looked at him and instead reached out to him. He rested himself down behind me so that I was comfortably sitting between his legs with my back laying against his chest. We were quite, but we were together. I let my head fall to the side so that it rested on his shoulder. He could feel my hot breath as it pooled on his neck.

"Sookie, I know why you were at the bar tonight. I could feel the jealousy and I could feel the tension inside of you. It was like I could see your thoughts by the feelings you were experiencing. You must never doubt me, ever." The kindness still had not returned to his voice.

"I know, it just came over me like a storm. One minute I was fine, and the next all I could picture was you with some other woman. I don't doubt you, Eric. I just know that I have been, difficult these past few weeks, and…well" I really didn't know how to finish that statement.

"And well what? I am vampire therefore I will automatically fuck the first thing that catches my attention? Please, I am stronger than that. I have been around for too many years to be tempted that easily. I have gone years without sex. It is common practice in our world to withhold blood and sex as a form of punishment. And Sookie, I have been punished before." I didn't know if he was referring to my decreased libido as some type of punishment, but that did not sit well with me.

"Do you think that I am punishing you? Do you think that I am doing this on purpose?" My blood was boiling and I pulled myself out of my comfortably relaxed position.

"I think that you are punishing yourself for something that you have no control over." Eric was stating this very matter of fact.

"Punishing myself? You think that I am punishing myself? Well, tell me Dr. Northman…Why the fuck would I be doing that?" I jumped out of the tub and grabbed a towel to wrap around my shaking body.

"Because you hate not being in control. You couldn't stop what that animal did to you. You couldn't pick up his thoughts soon enough to stop him grabbing you. You couldn't control anything that was happening to you. But this, this you have complete control over. You are controlling what is happening to your body. You are controlling what you are eating and what you are not eating. You are controlling whether or not you sleep all day and night, or whether you get up and move. Tonight proved that. You had complete control over yourself tonight. You may not have had control over your thoughts, but you got up, drove to the bar, snuck inside…" I had heard enough.

"You can be a real asshole when you want to be. You think I'm in control. I feel like I have no control. All I want to do is feel normal, or as normal as a telepath that is married to a vampire can feel. Eric, I have no control…all I have is a husband that thinks I'm going crazy. Oh, and he also is losing interest in me. Enough to turn me away for the first time in our entire relationship. How's that for control, asshole." I spun on my heel and headed for the bedroom, ready to grab my clothes and head out to Bon Temps.

Eric was standing in front of me before I even got to the closet to open the door. His eyes were glaring at me in a way that scared me in to actually stuttering his name.

"You think that I have lost interest in you? You think that I said No to you tonight because I no longer want you. Now I know that you must be going mad." He was grabbing my arms and backing me up towards the wall. I didn't know whether to be terrified, or happy for the physical connection.

"All I think about is touching you, and kissing you, and fucking you. I can't stop thinking about you. You are slowly killing yourself and you are forcing me to watch. I can not sit by and do nothing. I said No to you earlier because I knew that making love to you would just cloud my mind and I need a clear head to make sure that you are alright. Sookie, I will never stop wanting you. You could be lying on your death bed, unable to speak or move, even then I would still desire you. Do not ever speak of me losing interest in you again, ever." He was actually yelling and he had backed us up completely to the wall. My arms were going to be bruised with the death grip that he had on me.

I was afraid the look away from his eyes, afraid that if I looked away he would snap my head back to him, but my neck would break. All I could do was nod.

At some point in his rant, and our moving backwards, I had lost my towel. Eric was not letting me go, intent on making sure that I knew that he still was upset. He was in no way being seductive or gentle with the way he was holding me still. It was as though we were testing each other. Him wanting to see if I was going to pull away from him and run, and me seeing if he was going to give in and wrap me in his arms.

It air that surrounded us was magnetic, neither one willing to back down. The feelings that we were experiencing through our bond were magnified, we were both so damn proud. An average person would have been crippled under the pressure that was surrounding us.

Without warning, and at the same time, we were crushing each others mouth's. His lips pressed into me with such force that I knew it was going to hurt tomorrow. I felt the burn that was long since forgotten. I braced myself and leaned back into the wall, knowing I was going to need the support to hold me up.

He picked me up and slammed my back up against the wall, not caring the my body was not in the best of shape. I grabbed a fistful of his hair and weaved my fingers through it, pulling as I kissed him harder.

My legs locked behind his back and I felt just how long it had been since Eric and I had made love. His erection was harder than I had ever felt it and my body shivered as I thought about that entering my body.

He grabbed my blond hair and pulled my head backward, exposing my naked throat. He hadn't even penetrated me, but I was ready to come just at the idea. His tongue ran down my neck and he growled like an animal as his cool breath caused my flesh to break out in goose bumps.

He took my ear in between his teeth and pushed into me, causing me to scream. I let my fingers dig into his shoulders as I clung to his body. My back hit the wall with force as he buried himself to his hilt inside of me.

He was fast and he was desperate to have me. We could not speak to each other, there was a pure animalistic need to just be in the moment, to be one. He thrust into me and his moans filled the empty house. They echoed throughout the room, rumbling inside of my body.

I had a need to taste him. I started to kiss his neck and run my tongue along the side of his throat. I knew that having his blood inside of me would make me feel physically better. It would make me feel beautiful and strong. It was making me hotter and I bit him. He growled my name and threw us on the floor.

In one quick motion we were no longer standing up against the wall, we were sprawled out on the bedroom floor. Eric was climaxing at the feeling of me biting into his flesh and drawing his blood into my mouth. The thick, magical liquid flowed into my mouth and my arousal grew greater.

I could feel Eric grind his hips against my pubic bone. He was making sure to plunge as deep as he possibly could, while keeping up his brutal but ecstatic pace. Noises were exploding from my throat, if it wasn't my own voice, I would have thought them alien. I felt like he was going to push me right through the floor, but I could not have asked him to stop. This was what I needed, what we needed.

He was relentless, and I was feeling that very rewarding sensation. The world around me began to get hazy and I felt the tips of Eric's fangs graze my breast, but then they stopped. I snapped my head up and looked at him. I knew he was worried about my physical condition.

"Please, Eric, Please. Let me feed you. Oh, Oh…God…" I begged him for our combined release, never taking my eyes off of him. He looked at me, gave me his wicked smile, and sank his fangs into my nipple. It was the best bite I've ever had. I screamed his name and felt him release for a second time, we were spent. He collapsed on top of my panting body.

We were silent, unsure of what to say to one another. Right before we attacked each other we were having one hell of a fight. Then we were having a starring contest to see who could break first. Now, here we lay…a tangled mess of naked and satisfied limbs.

"Lover?" He spoke first.

"HmmMmm" I was ready.

"I do not think that you are crazy. I do however think that it is time to get some help." He kissed the top of my head and held my hand.

"I know Eric. I'm ready to call that Doctor. I don't want to lose you, or anyone else for that matter." I squeezed his hand.

"Sookie, can I get you something to eat?"

"Sure. I guess I could go for a cheeseburger. Eric, you know how much I love you, right?" He knew, I could feel it through the bond. "Hey, what did Felipe want?" Now there was something else in the bond. Fear, anger…uncertainty?

"I will call for delivery, and yes…I know how much you love me. And know that I would do anything to protect you and will love you always." He took me in his arms and kissed me. He took a deep breath and looked at me, "Felipe is not happy with me. It is my job to protect you. I am a servant to him before anything else, and it is my sworn duty to protect your life. I have already failed, twice. I must go to Las Vegas. I must meet with him at a formal trial. I leave in in two days."

TBC…


	13. Chapter 13

As tired and as spent as I was, I couldn't help but sit up and stare at him.

"Did you just say that you were going to be tried, for crimes against…me?" I was completely shocked. I mean, I know that vampire politics are drastically different than anything human, but this is my husband. He can't be sent to trial for something involving me.

"Yes, Felipe is not pleased with the results of my protection. I tried to put it off, but if I do not appear at trial it will be considered an act of treason, and I could be executed."

Alright, now my head was spinning. There was no way in hell I was going to let this happen. Didn't Eric just tell me that I was controlling everything around me? Well now I wanted to control the fate of my husband.

"That's just crazy. Not crazy like me, just straight up crazy. How can you be sent to trial for not protecting me when I'm not the one pressing any charges against you? I'm your god damned wife, none of this is your fault." We both knew this was going to turn into one of my rants about how stupid and sanctimonious vampire politics really was.

"Because. Sookie, Felipe is my King. He ordered me to protect your life above my own. I know that this does not make sense to you, but being your husband means nothing to him. I am his follower, an enforcer in his regime. I live by his rule, nothing more. In our world, I belong to him first, and unfortunately to him…our marriage comes a very distant second." I could hear the despair in his voice. I knew that this was not how he saw things, but I also knew that this was the way of his world. I was human, in one simple word, mortal.

The problem with that was the fact that I was considered a very valuable commodity, asset, desire. That was also the reason Eric was sworn to put his life before mine on Felipe's orders. Felipe wanted me at his disposal, and really, what good was I if I was six feet under?

"Eric, can't I just go to Felipe and tell him that none of this is your fault? I can explain to him that you could not have prevented any of this. I can make him understand, please?" I hoped that this would be the answer. I was willing to do whatever it took to protect him.

"No, that won't work. Felipe is not interested in any explanations. I know that I have been acquitted of the charges that stem from the attack last May. He was there and he knows that Victor orchestrated the entire set up. I spoke to Bill and to Pam and they may be called as material witnesses. He told me I was cleared of all charges then, but Felipe being the asshole that he is needs to publicly air that little incident. I think it is his way to cast doubt on my ability to protect you." Eric was still laying in bed, watching me closely.

"How can he blame you? Why, what is he trying to accomplish?" I was pretty sure that I didn't want to know the answer, but I couldn't help but ask the question.

"Lover, if he can prove that I have not been able to fully protect you, he will be able to legally remove our bond. If that happens, he can claim you as his," His expression was hard, cold, distant.

"But we're married. It's not like he can just swoop in and make me divorce you." I was feeling pretty good about my point.

"No, that is not what would happen." His face softened, but remained distant. "Sookie, if that happened you would not need to divorce me. Felipe would see that you were made a widow, knowing full well that you would never willingly leave me." That is all it took for me to lose my self control. I flung my broken and weak body over him, curling my limbs around his.

"No, No…I won't let that happen! Please, you can't leave me here. I won't let you go alone. I will not let you go and defend yourself without me. I don't care what you say. I won't hear it, I won't do it." I was crying …again. I was thinking about purchasing stock in the Kleenex company.

I could not sit by and just let my husband, my life, go to trial for something that was directly related to my "mishaps". Victor was responsible for hiring that hit man to kill me, or Eric…it really didn't matter. The shifter apparently picked me at random, at least that is what the detective said.

He had a thing for petit blonds. It just happened that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He saw me walking to my car and thought that I fit the profile perfectly. He had absolutely no idea that I was a telepath, married to the most powerful vampire in Louisiana, or under the protection of half the Were packs in the State. I guess in the end it really turned out to be his bad luck, given the fact that it was his blood pooled on the cold cement floor, draining the life out of his body.

"Sookie, I have no choice, we have no choice. I can not ignore this, it will only make things worse. I have to believe that things will turn out alright." I couldn't hold back my sigh of disgust. My rage was present and my faith in the world had dissipated.

"Please, you have to believe that things will be alright? Sure, and I have to believe that Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny vacation together in Boca." I did not make the best cynic. That actually drew a chuckle from him.

The room grew quiet again as we both weighed the enormity of the situation. I laid down next to him and let my hands mindlessly caress his perfect chest. The idea of Eric going to Las Vegas and not returning was too much for me to handle. It made me realize just how bad a place I was in.

Here I was, able to get myself help, yet unwilling to do so. I was able to reach out to anyone and everyone, but not allowing myself. I was shutting everyone out, and all they wanted to do was save me. What if I was in Eric's shoes? What if I was facing the possibility of a vampire trial? What if I was facing a possible death sentence, not able to return to my love? Wait…isn't that what I am doing to myself right now? Slowly executing myself for something that was not in my control?

Eric was right, I was slowly killing myself. Every single day that I laid in this bed refusing to move, refusing to eat, refusing to talk. This was not what I wanted, I wanted our life. I wanted to be with him, I wanted to love him. Now, he was telling me that I could lose everything…and it was all because of things that had happened to me?

Eric had told me a long time ago that I would end up being the death of him. Those words made my body cold with fear. What if he was right? What if the one thing he couldn't do, walk in the light of the sun, was the one thing that would end up finally killing him?

No vampire could protect me during the day. No vampire could ever have known that I would taken in broad day light. Eric was battling an immense amount of guilt over the fact that I was abducted during the day. He knew that he was utterly useless when the sun was in the sky. It was the sun that was his most feared and powerful enemy. Now, it was the daylight that was going to cause him further agony.

"Eric, what if we run? What if we just disappear? You have no bond to Felipe. It's not like he would be able to feel you. We could become two completely new people, start over." I was being honest. Why couldn't we leave?

I had almost no family tying me to this area. Jason and I were rocky at best. Gran was dead, Hunter was being cared for by an "anonymous" caretaker of the deceased Queen. Amelia and Sam would understand. Bill would learn to accept that we were gone, just like Pam.

Niall on the other hand. We really didn't have much of a relationship. I knew that he cared a great deal for me, but I just didn't get that warm and fuzzy feeling from him. He too would know where to find us, given his abilities.

What was stopping us? What was stopping us from packing up an overnight bag, making a few monetary transactions from his offshore accounts, and just leaving?

"My love, that would be the easy way…at first. But, after a while we would grow tired of constantly looking over our shoulders. We would never feel like we were able to live freely. I know how independent you are. With this kind of secret hanging over us, we would always feel like we were being tracked. Trust me when I say, it is better to stay and fight than it is to run and hide." He held me close, trying to make me feel safe.

His words were ringing true in more ways than one. I knew deep down that he was right. I knew that I couldn't live on the run, and if we were ever found we would most likely be killed on sight. He was right, as usual.

"Eric, earlier you told me that you had been punished before. When we were talking about not having sex?" I could feel his body tense. "When did that happen, and why were you punished?"

He stroked my shoulder with his fingers and held me close, letting me get comfortable. "It was several hundred years ago. I was traveling through Italy and I met a very beautiful woman. I hadn't fed in days because I was being hunted by a group of religious zealots, much like the modern day FoTS. I had lost several friends to their stakes and swords, so I was constantly on the run. When I saw this woman I immediately knew that I needed to feed." He paused to make sure that I was ok hearing this story.

"I didn't think that she would allow me to just simply feed from her, so I Glamoured her and fed. What I did not know was that the woman that I was feeding from was the bonded of very powerful vampire in that region. We had not yet established Sheriff's, but he was of that stature. I was foreign in his land and I was tried and punished. I was bound in silver and starved of human blood and sex for two years." He told this story as if he was recalling this first time he skinned his knee as a child. It was like it was no big deal, just an average day in the vampire world.

"Oh my god, Eric! How did you survive? Were you alright? I mean, obviously you're alright…you're here, but, what the hell?" I think he may have been amused.

"Lover, do not fret. That is a common punishment among my kind. Having to go without human blood was the worst part of the torture. I would be brought sips of animal blood, enough to wet my mouth every other day or so. The sex, well that took some getting used to. After about the sixth month I had lost my desire and my need. It was easier than I expected. I do not need sex to survive, I do need blood to survive. That is why that is such an effective form of punishment. Feeding and sex go hand and hand in my world." His hands were beginning to roam my body as he remembered the involuntary celibacy he had experienced.

"I know I am going to regret asking this, but what did you do when you were released? Did you instantly go and Glamour someone to have sex, or did you feed first?" Call it morbid fascination.

"Well, I'm not sure you really want to know that answer to that." I could tell that he did not want to answer, but he would if I pressed.

"No, I know I don't want to know the answer. I need to know the answer, and I don't want you to make it all clean and sweet. I want you to tell me the truth." I jabbed my finger into his chest.

"When I was released I went into the nearest village and I walked in the shadows. We were not open and we were constantly in danger. I saw a beautiful woman walking with her friend, she had flaming red hair, the color of the sunset that I remember seeing as a child. Her friend was not nearly as pretty, but she was not homely. I caught her eye and instantly Glamoured her, causing her and her friend to join me in a rented room above a tavern." I watched his face as he remembered the women.

"When we got to the room I knew that the friend had not come under my influence, and she was scared. She would not look at me and she was getting ready to run. She was trying to shake her friend out of my trance, but I was too quick. I drank every last drop out of her as her red haired friend watched. Not a scream escaped her mesmerized mouth. I drank her dry, relishing the taste of her sweet, virginal blood. Next, I took the red haired girl. I had my way with her, she gave herself to me, and I took her for the next several hours. I had two years of spent up energy to get out. I was that poor girls first, and in the end, I drained her too. I left the tavern and set it on fire, burning their bodies. I don't even know what their names were." I could feel that he was neither guilty nor proud, he was just diligent. That was the way it was, end of story.

I thought about his words and tried to picture what I would have done if I was him. If I was a blood hungry vampire, would I have had the self control to not go on a murderous rage and kill and entire village? Probably not…speaking of self control? His hands are certainly remembering my body and I was about to jump him.

"Eric, thank you for telling me. We will figure this out. I'm going to call that doctor tomorrow and who knows, maybe the Easter Bunny and St Nick have a time share." I sat up and straddled my self over him, looking straight down into his bright, unblinking eyes. My body might be weak and it might be on the lighter side, but it sure was feeling good.

"You are amazing, everything about you. Nothing will take me away from you. It is my turn to tell you, I will not break. I will fight to the death if it is required, but they will have to finally kill me to break our bond. We are one, we are stronger together, and we will always be. I love you." And with that he kissed me, and we did just that, became one.

TBC…


	14. Chapter 14

Eric and I laid wrapped in each others arm's all night. I had slept enough over the past weeks that I never felt the need to close my eyes and drift away, I wanted to remember every moment with him. I couldn't seem to get it through my mind that his world and my world were so drastically different, even though I knew that was the way it was.

He was leaving in two days, that gave me 48 hours to form some type of plan to save him. Problem was, I needed to try and do this without Eric knowing. He was quite clear in letting me know that I was not allowed to intervene in anyway. I agreed, but being the woman I am, kept my fingers crossed behind my back.

He had promised me that he was going to take the next two days off from work in order to spend these last nights with me. I know that he was doing this because he secretly was afraid that he might not come home. Although, he told me it was because he wanted to see me and know all about my trips to the doctor and such.

We talked all night about how much we loved each other, and how lucky we were to have found one another.

"Sookie, did I ever tell you that the first night I ever saw you, when you came to Fangtasia with Bill, that I told Pam that I would have you? I do not mean have you in a sexual way, well, I did, but I meant that I would have you. I would spend my life with you, as my equal, as my love. I told her that I would love you like nothing I had ever loved before, and that I would never be the same." He kissed my hair and rubbed my shoulders.

"No, you never told me that. You told me that your life changed on that night, but you never told me that. Did I ever tell you that I could feel you trying to Glamour me and get inside my head that night?" His hands stopped rubbing. "And that I almost wanted to let you in so that you could draw me to you. But, I was too proud, too young." I looked up at him and saw him smiling down at me.

"You felt me, and wanted to let me in? I knew you wanted me, just as much as I wanted you." He gave me his evil grin and I slapped his shoulder. "Sookie, we will go out tomorrow night. Would you please wear that dress, the one that you wore that first night you came to Fangtasia?" He was holding my chin in his hands, looking directly in my eyes, as though he was remembering that dress from all those years ago.

"Of course, I don't think that I'll ever get rid of that dress. It might look a little too big, but I'll wear it." I reached up and kissed him softly. I knew the dawn was getting close because I could feel the pull of sleep dragging him under. He nestled his head into my hair and inhaled my scent, letting his body fill with the lingering smell.

He kissed me and was dead for the remainder of the day. I knew that I could now start the put together some type of plan. I needed to figure out how to get to Las Vegas after Eric had left, and get to Felipe without Eric knowing.

I made a promise to myself and to Eric that I would call the doctor, and I was not going to renege. I took the card off the table and called the number. Since it was so early I knew I would get the answering service. I left a message with my name, and made it very clear that I was Eric Northman's wife. I had gotten comfortable playing the wife of a powerful vampire card when I really needed it. Her answering service assured me that I would be the first call she returned when she got into the office.

I went downstairs and for the first time in weeks, made myself some coffee. I looked in the fridge, and was very happy to see that there was cream. I smiled to myself and felt how much I loved him. No matter how shitty my life was right now, I needed to pull myself together and step up for Eric.

He would go to hell and back for me, it was my turn to do just that for him. The combination of his blood and my new found resolve was making me feel untouchable. I looked around the quiet house. It seemed so peaceful, so beautiful. I actually felt like a fog had been lifted, like dirty glasses had been removed from my eyes.

I thought about my life. Yes, an unbearable, heinous, undeserving injustice had happened to me. I did not do anything to deserve what was done to me. But, I was not alone. I had people all around me that wanted to help me. I was lucky, I was fortunate. I thought about all the other women in the world that had this same fate dealt to them, but had no one to help them.

I felt a pang of guilt as I thought about all of the children that this happened to and did not understand, and had no one they could confide in. I remember how I felt about my uncle, and how relieved I was when my Gran listened to me.

We live in an evil world, and truly awful people do exist. But, we also live in an extraordinary world, and truly beautiful and good people exist. I was lucky enough to know that I had beautiful people all around me. They might not be beautiful and good in some peoples eyes. In fact, to most people they were monsters, but to me they were my everything. They loved me, protected me, honored me. Right now I felt like I was one of the luckiest girls in the world.

I felt a tear of joy slip down my cheek. I had come so close to my own mortality, several times now. My entire world was upstairs, dead for the day, blissfully unaware that I was taking back control. The control that he had mentioned last night. For the first time in I don't know how long I felt like I had a grasp on my emotions.

I must have been sitting in the kitchen for quite some time thinking about my life and my future, because the phone startled me when it rang. I took a quick look at the clock and saw that it was just past 8:00am.

"Hello? Yes, this is Sookie Northman. Oh, good morning. Thank you for getting back to me so quickly, I really appreciate it." I guess dropping the name Northman can really be beneficial. The answering service wasn't kidding when they told me that she would call me as soon as she got into her office. "Well, I was hoping that I could see you as soon as possible. I'm not sure if Detective Rice gave you any history on me. Oh, she did, well that's just great. Ten? Sure, I can be there at ten. I'll see you then." Wow, I guess I needed to get going.

There was no backing out now. I had made a promise, and now I was following through. I felt courage and pride as I ran into the bathroom the get in the shower. I decided that I needed to take a few minutes to snuggle with Eric. I curled up in bed next to him and took his arms and wrapped them around me.

He shifted slightly as he could smell me and feel my body. His face smiled as he knew that I was near. I rested my head on his chest and breathed his unique scent. God, I loved him with my entire being. He was my entire world. My everything. I rubbed my cheek against his bare chest and let myself silently thank him for his harsh words last night.

I brought my mouth up close to his ear, hoping that I could get him to hear my words.

"Eric, sweetie. I just wanted to let you know that I love you. I'm going out in a bit. I'm going to see that doctor that the detective suggested. I just spoke to her and I have an appointment in two hours. I'm ready Eric, I'm ready and I love you." I felt his arms tighten drastically around me. He was hearing me and I knew that he understood exactly what I was saying.

I could feel so much love and so much hope flow through our bond. It made a chocking sound come out of my throat, it was overpowering. He was feeling everything, even as he slept for the day.

I nuzzled his hair and kissed his neck, letting him know that I could feel him. I don't know if it was the feelings that were passing between us, or the fact that we had spent too much time apart these past few weeks, but Eric opened his eyes and looked directly at me.

It took me by surprise and I almost jumped when I saw his eyes snap open.

"Eric, are you alright? Do you need something? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up, I just wanted to tell you where I was going and to say I love you." I was feeling bad that I had interrupted his sleep.

"Yes, I do need something." He leered at me and had me pinned underneath him faster than I could have imagined. Even in his daytime stupor he was still a force to be reckon with.

My body exploded with desire as I realized that even when he was supposed to be dead for the day, he still wanted me and could be roused by me. I smiled up at him and pulled his mouth to mine. I battled with his tongue, letting him know that I too needed something.

"Tell me what you need." My voice was ragged and breathless as I was drowning in his lust. He was tearing the clothes from my body, completely unaware that he was doing this.

"You, I need every part of you my love. I need your body, your soul, your love. I need to possess you and have you…now." Before he could finish telling me what he needed he was inside of me. I inhaled deeply as I felt him push into me.

This was the first time that we had ever made love during the day. I had never known that he could function on this level while he was supposed to be sleeping. It took all that I had to wake him in Rhodes, and here he was, making love to me and all I did was snuggle up next to him and tell him I loved him.

"Oh, God… Eric. Are you actually awake? Are you…Oh…Oh, are you going to remember this?" All I could think was that we were going to have amazing sex and he wasn't going to believe me when I told him about it.

"Sookie, I could never not remember this body. I am awake and I am here. I love you. I felt you, I felt your happiness and your courage. I knew that I needed to remember this moment, the moment that you truly came back to me." He was thrusting into me with a slow and perfect pace. Not too fast, but not so slow that I thought I was going to explode.

I let my hands roam down his back and cupped his butt as he plunged into me. I wanted to remember this moment forever, the sun was high in the sky, although it could not penetrate this safe room. But, we were making love in the morning.

I looked deeply in is eyes, he really was awake. His blue gaze was fixed on mine. He was committing this to memory, just as I was. I wanted to throw my head back in pleasure, but knew that I never felt more connected to him than when we watched each other as we made love.

"Sookie, oh..my Sookie. My lover, I need you, I need to feel you, I need to feel you inside of me and I need to feel you come." Yup, he certainly was awake and he was picking up the pace. I could feel the urgency behind his thrusts and knew that my release was building. I was going to be able to give him exactly what he needed.

I felt like he was completely owning me, like he was rediscovering a treasure long lost in the caverns of his ancient mind. He was enraptured in this commitment and we were more than husband and wife, more than bonded, we were survivors. We were one and we needed one another to survive.

He licked my shoulder and sank his fangs into the soft flesh. As I felt the slight pain as his teeth punctured the skin my orgasm started, sending him into his own. His body shuttered above me as I screamed him name and clenched my legs around his waist. He drank from me and pulled heavily on the wounds.

I could feel my blood being sucked from deep within my body, and I wanted to give it all to him. I wanted him to take all of me in that minute. The pleasure that was flowing through us was immeasurable. It was nothing like I had felt before.

I ran my fingers through his hair as he licked the tiny wounds clean and set them off healing. I felt so whole, so complete. We lay there, taking in the events of the morning. He was completely exhausted, not only from our lovemaking, but from the fact that this should be his down time.

He took me in his arms and pulled me against him. I felt that familiar spot of his body, the spot that was made for me, and only for me. The spot that I swear was molded to my form. There was no one that could ever fit more perfectly against his body than me. He buried his face into the back of my neck, letting his nose dive into my hair.

"Lover, you have made me more happy this morning than I ever thought possible. Not only did you wake me in the most wonderful way, but you are taking control and you are coming back to me. I love you, you are mine, just as I am yours. Be safe today, I will see you when I wake." He kissed me deeply and was pulled under by sleep.

I laid there for another few minutes, basking in the afterglow of our lovemaking. I looked over at the clock and realized that I needed to get a move on. I flew, not literally, into the shower and washed up. The smell of the soap and the shampoo was more intense than I remember. It clung to my nostrils, causing me to waken my senses even more.

The honey and the tangerine in the shampoo made my stomach ache with hunger. I never did get that cheeseburger last night. If I had enough time I was going to stop at a drive through and get myself something greasy and fattening. The hot water felt like heaven as it rained down over my body. Everything around me just seemed better.

I dressed quickly, deciding on jeans and a long sleeved T-shirt. I was happy that Eric fed from my shoulder. I was not sure how this shrink felt about vampire/human relationships, and I certainly did not want her to see fresh fang marks on my neck on our first visit.

I went back into the bathroom to brush out my hair and pull it up into a ponytail. I looked into the mirror and saw that I really did look terrible. I had taken Eric's blood, so I knew that this look was remarkably better than what I must have appeared yesterday. My skin was almost gray, hollow, sunken. I looked like I was dead, but not dead like Eric and Pam. I did not look like a beautiful, pale, undead, vampire. I looked like a plain old dead human.

I sucked up my horror and shook my head. My clothes hung off my body, I was past ten pounds. I may have been pushing the fifteen pound mark. My breasts were not filling out my bra like they used to. I was in serious need of some good, down home cooking.

I sped out the door and got in my car. As I pulled out of the driveway I smiled to myself, I didn't hesitate. I left the house and I got in my car and I drove. I was doing this, I should wake Eric up more often in the morning.

I looked in my rearview mirror and saw that a car was behind me. I took a few different turns, trying to see if I was being followed. Each time I took a detour the car behind me would follow. Instead of calling the police I decided to call Eric's accountant. If anything was going on, if Eric had hired someone to keep tabs on me during the day, his accountant would know.

Sure enough, Eric had hired a security service to tail me when I went out during the day. Would have been nice if he had told me. What if I had pulled over and went charging at them with all my craziness? What if I was the type of girl that carried a gun? I guess Eric knew that would never happen. His accountant assured me that they weren't there to spy on me, just to make sure that I was safe at all times.

Well, I guess I did feel slightly better. I did feel like I was safe, I would have to let Eric know that I was happy with his decision. I had always told him that I didn't like the idea of constantly being watched. Now, it made me feel better.

I had twenty minutes to get to the doctor's office, just enough time to pull through the drive thru of the local coffee shop. I got myself another large cup of steaming hot coffee, and a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich. My mouth was watering with anticipation.

I swear I inhaled it. It must have taken me about three bites to get it down. I must have looked like a wild animal devouring a piece of fresh meat. I didn't even care that I had burned the roof of my mouth biting in. The blood I had last night would take care of that.

I was so nervous and so anxious to meet this doctor. I was afraid the she would judge me, not only on my marital status, but on my decision to put off seeking treatment for as long as I had.

Her office building was not too far away from Fangtasia. I was sure she would know the bar that my husband owned. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? I pulled up to the building and took in my surroundings. The car that was surveying me parked a safe distance away from me, giving me my privacy. I decided that I needed to hear Eric's voice. I called his cell phone and listen to his deep, manly voice give instructions to leave a message.

"Hi honey, it's me. I just wanted to let you know that I just got to the doctor's office. Oh, thanks for the security…maybe next time you should give me a heads up. I love you baby. You mean everything to me, that's all I wanted you to know. I hope you're dreaming of me. I can't wait to see you later tonight. I love you."

I walked towards the door and heard the footsteps of someone behind me. I spun on my heel to see a very large man dressed in a black suit, black sunglasses, black everything. Jesus, did this guy work for the secret service?

He stopped w hen I looked at him. I must have crouched into some type of attack position because he held his hand up to me, letting me know I was in no danger.

"Mrs. Northman, I work for your husband. I'm just here to see that you get inside and that nothing happens while you are at your appointment." He spoke very softly, making sure that I did not panic. I nodded and slowly turned back to walking, looking over my shoulder a couple of times as I did so.

I decided to take the stairs to the third floor. I felt great to be out and actually moving. The air around me was crisp and it was exciting. I had a spring to my step as I jogged my self up the flights of stairs. I think that big security dude would have liked for me to use the elevator.

I stood before the door to her office. I ran my fingers over her name plate that graced the entry way. 'Doctor Barbara Lester'. At least she sounded normal. I opened the door and peaked my head inside. There were no patients waiting in the waiting room. No people sitting in uncomfortable chairs waiting for their turn.

The air in my lungs escaped me and I almost began to panic. I walked through the door and heard it click behind me. A head popped into the receptionist area. A happy woman, probably about my age began talking to me, faster than I could process.

"You must be Sookie, I'm so happy to meet you. Dr. Lester will be so pleased to see you. She cleared her entire calendar this morning to meet with you. She is just so thrilled that you chose our little practice, please, please, come right in. Can I get you some coffee, tea, water, valium?" She laughed at her little shrink joke, it took me a minute before I heard it and had a belated chuckle.

"No, thank you…I brought my own." I held up my Styrofoam cup of coffee and smiled. I decided to be rude and drop my shields.

_So this is the woman that Eric Northman married. I'll bet she's beautiful when she's healthy. I heard she was kidnapped. She's in the right place, I'm happy she's getting help. Barbie certainly helped me when I needed it._

Well, I had heard enough. This receptionist may know of Eric, but she didn't really know me. She was concerned for me, and she thought that I was in the best place to get help. I smiled a genuine smile at her, feeling good about my choice.

She left the office and I made my self comfortable on the plush couch, laughing to myself about the stereotypical furniture in this shrinks office. Couch, check. Plants, check. Window with a view, check. Big, impressive desk, check. Medical license on the wall, check.

I heard the door open and stood up, ready to meet this doctor. I turned to look at her and was amazed at what I saw. Or, I guess it would be more accurate to say what I didn't see. This doctor, this woman that came so highly recommended, was supposed to be my mental savior. She very well might be all of these things, but what she the one thing she was not, was human.

TBC…….


	15. Chapter 15

A/N-Sorry for the delay in posting, it's been a crazy week. Anyway, this is more of a transition chapter. Don't worry, lots of good stuff coming up!!!!

I couldn't help but feel the corners of my mouth turn upwards. I was looking at a pure, 100%, painstakingly beautiful, fairy. To most humans she would probably just look like Marilyn Monroe, reincarnated, plus a few inches taller. But, given my predisposition to the Supe world, add to that the vampire blood I had ingested, and bam…fairy unmasked.

She was stunning, and the worst part of it all…everything was natural. There was not a bleached, dyed, siliconed, Botoxed, piece of anything. Women spent millions of dollars to look like her. I guess all you needed was to be a fairy to pull it off.

"Mrs. Northman, please have a seat. I am so happy to meet you. Jennifer speaks very highly of you." She held out her hand and shook mine, gently, but strongly enough to assure me that she was a caregiver.

"It's great to meet you too, Dr. Lester. And please, call me Sookie." Her voice was like the calmest lullaby I had ever heard.

"Alright, Sookie it is. But, I insist that you call me Barbie" I could not help but laugh out loud at the irony. Tall, blond, gorgeous, perfect…and her nickname is Barbie?

"Yes, I know. My folks have called me Barbie ever since I was a child. This was well before they ever knew that I would take on so many familiar characteristics. It's ok to laugh, trust me, I do." A woman that could laugh at her own life, now that was a woman I could like.

We made small talk for the next half hour. She was oddly comfortable to speak with , especially since we had just met. There was something so warm about her. She made me feel like I was safe, I knew that it must be directly related to our fairly relations.

I decided that before we really got down and dirty about what brought me to her office, even though she knew, I needed to see if she was going to be honest with me. There was no point in baring my soul to this woman if she was just going to hang me out to dry.

"Listen, Barbie, I like you. You seem to be real nice, and you seem to be doing real well for yourself. But, I got to tell you, I know a lot about the Supe world. A LOT, so…if there is something that you would like to tell me, now would be a super time. I guess what I mean is that if I'm going to be open and honest with you, I kind of expect the same in return." I looked at her, trying to read her expression. I'm pretty certain that most patients don't go around asking their shrinks what type of supernatural creatures they are.

"Wow, aren't you forward Sookie, I can appreciate that. And yes, I suppose that you do have a better understanding of the Supe world more than most people. I will be honest with you as I know how important that is in your relationships. I am Fairy." She looked directly at me and held up her hair so her the tips of her ears were visible.

"Most regular humans attribute my physical appearance to good genes, but I have a little magic on my side. Just in case you were wondering, I am fully aware that you are married to a vampire. I have used a masking spray to hide my scent so you will not have to worry when you go home. Your husband will not be able to pick up the scent of fairy on your body." She winked at me and gave me a very sly smile.

"Yeah, about that. Are we covered under doctor/patient confidentiality?" I wondered just how open I could be with her.

"Of course. I am not legally able to divulge anything that we discuss without your consent. I would have to let you know who was requesting the information, for what reason, and you would need to sing a form, authorizing my release of anything." She was serious, almost concerned that I was asking.

"I guess what I meant to ask was, does that confidentiality cover the Supe world too. Say if some big, powerful Fairy wanted information on me. Would you have to give it to him?" I really had a point to my questions.

"Well, no. I would still be covered under the law. Why do you ask.?" I had certainly piqued her interest.

"Ok, what I am going to tell you must be kept in the strictest confidence. There are very few people that know this, but I'm sure the news will come out sooner or later. I am part Fairy." I paused and waited for a reaction. She looked at me and nodded, no form of expression, no acceptance, no rejection. "So, if you area full Fairy then I'm sure you know Niall Briggant?" I waited.

"Prince Niall, yes. He is very powerful among my kind. He is very old and he is very wise. He is also very cunning and dangerous." She said cunning and dangerous like they were fric and frac.

"Yup, that sounds about right. Anyway, Niall is my great grandfather." OK, ripped that bandage right off.

"Niall, the Prince, is your relation? How interesting. Sookie, that is amazing. I was not aware that he had any human relations, or any family left for that matter. Well now, I must certainly do my job well if I am going to help you. It is an honor to serve you. Shall we get down to business, so to speak? I have cleared my entire day. If it is ok with you, I would like to have longer than the usual 50 minute hour. What do you say?" Now she seemed like she was beaming. Was I suddenly more of a challenge?

"Um, sure I guess. Have things changed, since I told you about Niall. If this is weird I'm sure that I can find another shrink. I won't hold it against you or anything. Really, I don't want you to feel like you have to help me." I was feeling self conscious.

"Come now, don't be ridiculous. I want nothing more than to help you. You have been through a tremendous ordeal, this is my specialty. You will not find anyone better than me. Do you have any other appointments this afternoon, or are we free to explore whatever our conversation brings?" She really did want to get right to it.

"No, I'm free. I sort of don't have a day time job." My cheeks suddenly reddened as I told her that I didn't work. Never had I been the type of woman to just sit around and not work. I was always working my tail off to support myself. I insisted that Eric let me waitress for him at Fangtasia. He hated that I did it, but I needed to feel like I wasn't free loading. We had compromised that I would work a few times a month at the bar.

The next few hours flew by. I couldn't believe how easy she was to talk with. We started out slowly, going over the little things. She didn't push me into area's that I was uncomfortable with. It really felt like she was leading me, showing me the way. Her receptionist beeped her on the intercom after we had been talking for a couple of hours.

"Barbie, shall I bring in some refreshments?" Her voice was still fast and excited.

"Please". Wow, therapy and lunch. I was getting the star treatment.

I was treated to finger sandwiches and salad, sweet tea and the most delicious fruit tart. I wasn't sure if I was getting all of this because I was married to Eric, or if she was somehow tipped off to my secret Fairy lineage. I decided to blame Eric since she seemed so surprised when I told her about Niall.

I knew that all of my sessions would not be like this, but it sure felt good to be pampered a little, during the day that is. I smiled at the doctor and let her know that I truly appreciated exactly what she was doing.

"Sookie, do you blame Eric for your attack?" Whoa, where the hell did that come from? Did she really just ask me that? Of course not, why would she think that I blamed my husband.

"Excuse me? Why on Earth would I ever blame him for something that he could never stop?" I felt hurt that she would need to ask this.

"Sookie, think hard. I know that he didn't do this, but do you blame Eric for the way things have turned out for you? You don't have to feel guilty here, this is not a place where you will be judged. I'm just asking if there is a small part of you that somehow thinks, or feels, that maybe Eric is to blame." I watched her face. She was serious. She really wanted me to think about her question.

I replayed our relationship in my head, every moment of it. I thought about all of the danger I had been in, all the pain I had experienced, all the fear I had felt. I also felt very strongly that Eric was my one true savior. Every corner I turned her was there, good or bad.

If the world all of a sudden became pitch black, not a light to be had anywhere. He would be my guidance, Eric would be able to show me the way. I would look to him to shelter me, guide me, bring me to safety. I felt my heart flutter as these emotions ran through my body.

All of my life I fought and clawed to be an independent, self reliant woman. Now, here I am going on and on about how this one man, my husband is my savior. I fely my lips grin as I giggled a little.

"Sookie, are you alright?" Barbie was just watching me.

"Yes, actually…I'm perfect. You asked me if I blame Eric for what happened to me. My answer is complicated. I have always tried to take care of myself, and I have done a damn good job of it too. Until I met these vampires I was never even in a hospital. I was healthy as a horse, barely had to even see my doctor. After I met Bill, things started to get dangerous. I started to get hurt and all sorts of bad things started happening to me." I paused to collect my thoughts.

"But, you see, my life would not be what it is today if I didn't. The man that attacked me and raped me picked me at random. I just happened to be blond, and I was walking out of the grocery store at that very minute. My life is not easy, and yes, most of that is because Eric is so powerful and because he is a vampire. But the most important thing is he is mine. He is my light." I was giddy when I told her that he was my light.

"He is your light? Do you mean that you see him as a ethereal, glowing, godlike figure?" Jesus…shrinks!

"No, I mean he is my light, my world, you know…like the song. You light up my life. Just that he makes me happy, he's means everything to me. I love him. No secret crazy brain message." I kind of looked at her like she was the crazy one.

"OK, I think this is a good place to stop for this week. Would you like to make another appointment for next week?" She pulled out her fancy leather bound desk calendar.

That reminded me. Eric was leaving tomorrow night for Vegas. Things could go very bad, very quickly. I examined the fairy therapist in front of me and knew that I needed a plan, and fast.

What could I do that would help me? What could I ask this woman, who I just met, but just happened to be fairy?

"Yes, I would really like to come back next week. I find it real easy to talk to you Barbie. I think after all of my therapy is over we could be great friends, especially since we both happen to have the whole fairy thing going on." Of course I was digging.

"That would be nice." Always a professional I see.

"Hey, do you know my cousin Claudine?" I pointed to my ears to indicate Fairy.

"Ooh, I sure do. I love Claudine, she is just a ball of energy. How is she?" And now I have my answer. I knew what I was going to do and God help me, it needed to work. If it did not, mine and Eric's future would certainly be grim.

"Ok, listen Barbie, I know that we just met and all. But, I need to ask you a favor that is not doctor recommended. Call it more family recommended, you know, one fairy looking out for another fairy. A fairy that just happens to be the great granddaughter of the great Fairy Prince." I looked at her, hoping she would not throw her fancy book at me.

She sat down in her office chair and looked at me from across her desk.

"Sookie, what is going on?" Her tone was no longer that of a calm therapist. It was that of an on alert supernatural being.

"Barbie, I am considering this still part of our session. So you can't tell anyone what I am going to say, or ask you." I took a deep breath and exhaled through my nose. "Eric has to go to Las Vegas, to face a trial for crimes against ME. King Felipe De Castro thinks that he is not fulfilling his duties in protecting me, since I am part of his protected retinue. Eric thinks that the only reason he is being tried is so that De Castro can find him guilty, and claim me as his own." I shook my head in disgust as I thought of myself being claimed as a piece of property.

"Go on, I'm not sure where I can help you." She had not moved a muscle on her perfect face.

"Well, Eric has of course forbidden me to interfere in any way. He doesn't even want me in Nevada. He thinks that I'll be in danger and things will be just fine. I think that things are going to be much worse. If the king really wants to get his hands on me, he's going to do it no matter what." I was getting very worked up about this whole situation.

"Calm down Sookie. Just tell me what you need." She was returning to calm doctor.

"I have a plan, but Eric can't know. But, if I can pull this off I am pretty sure that Eric won't care that I went against his wishes. In fact, if I pull this off I'm pretty sure that Eric and I will be very happy, for a very long time. Barbie, I know that you can use a mask to cover up the fairy scent, for your protection. Do you also have anything that can intensify the scent?" My eyes grew wide as I anticipated her response.

"Well, yes, I suppose that we do have something that would slightly enhance out natural scent." She narrowed her eyes at me as if she knew what I was going to be asking for.

"Barbie, would you be willing to get me a very small amount of that enhancer, and an ever bigger amount of the masking scent?" I waited with anticipation. I was placing all of my eggs in her basket.

TBC….


	16. Chapter 16

Barbie could just look at me. Here I was, hanging on her response, practically vaulting over her desk to her to answer. She shifty, slightly uncomfortably in her chair.

"Sookie, you're asking me to essentially give you some of my blood, and something to mask the scent. Plus, you are married to a vampire. Have you thought about how dangerous and reckless that sounds?" OK, she had a point.

"Well of course I have. I wouldn't ask unless this was life and death. In my case, life and death, and final death. Barbie, Eric could be killed and I could be claimed as the kings personal property. Eric will not let me help him so I need to do this on my own. I know what I am doing. I promise that nothing will lead back to you. I would never compromise your practice, or your reputation, or anything like that. I'm only asking because you can't go tell anyone. I don't want Niall or anyone else to find out." I was hoping that she would understand my need for secrecy.

"Are you going to tell me what your plan is?" She knew the answer before she even asked. The little she knew the better. How many times had I heard that one before?

"No, you're just going to have to trust me. It's better that you know as little as possible. I'm sure you know why." I gave her a nod of my head.

She sat back in her chair, thinking about my request. I could clearly see that she was having an inner difference of opinion. I knew it was wrong, but I listened as best I could. She knew I was a telepath, and she was full fairy and I had no idea how old she was. She was going to be hard to read, but I needed to try.

_You can help . Niall might kill me. Playing with fire._

I could barely read her, I was getting words, but only pieces of what she was thinking. It was too hard to keep it up. I'm sure that she would notice me trying to read her. I leaned forward, trying to urge her with my expression.

"Please, I need to help Eric and I need to make sure that I take care of myself." I was starting to think that I might need to go to Niall after all.

"Wait here Sookie." She got up and disappeared into her private bathroom. She was gone for about ten minutes, ten very long minutes. I was so impatient that I thought about just taking my things and running out of the office, not wanting to hear her decline my request.

She came out of the bathroom and handed me two vials of blood. They were vacu-sealed, airtight. I felt all of the anxiety escape my body as I realized that she was giving me what I had asked for.

"Sookie, when I said that we had something that enhanced our natural scent…well it is something that is found within us. There is no magic pill or serum that I can give you, so I can only offer you my blood. Please, if any vampire gets the faintest scent of this on you." Her voice trailed off, she was afraid to say what would happen. "This is fairy blood in its purest form. This is a drug to a vampire, you would be torn to shreds, and questions would be asked later. This goes against everything that I practice, giving this to you. But there is something about you, something about your connection to my world. I give this to you freely, and I know that you will use it wisely." She handed me the vials, folding my fingers around the red, wondrous, miracle fluid.

"And this Sookie, this is your saving grace. This will mask even the most potent fairy scent. All you need to do is drink it down. It looks and tastes exactly like water. Not even a vampire can tell the difference. If it makes you feel safer, dilute it in a bottle of water. Carry it with you like you would a normal drink, it will do you no harm if you ingest it as a normal beverage. It takes about half of a vial to mask the scent of a body. A few drops of the liquid would mask a few drops of fairy blood. You see it goes hand in hand. The more potent the fairy smell, the more masking scent you will need. Do you have any question?" I could tell that she was deeply troubled with what she had just done, so I was ready to make my exit.

"No, I understand. You have no idea how much this means to me. I can't even begin to tell you what you are doing for me. Thank you." I smiled and gave her a genuine, honest to God, smile.

I exited her office and looked at my watch, it was almost three o'clock. Wow, talk about talking the day away. I had done nothing but talk to my therapist all day, and it felt like no time at all had past. I really felt like I was going to enjoy this process, as much as seeking therapy for a traumatic experience could be that is.

As to be expected, as soon as I appeared in the hallway, my security entourage did also. Out of the hidden corners came my very own secret service agent, only this time I didn't jump when I saw I was being followed.

"Hi, what's your name?" I yelled over my shoulder, never slowing my pace as I walked to my car.

"It's Thomas Mrs. Northman." He was all business.

"Nice to meet you Thomas. Please, if you're going to be following me around, call me Sookie. Eric may insist on being called Mr. Northman, but Mrs. Northman just makes me sound old." I paused to make sure that he heard me. He gave something of what I can only assume was a guarded smile, and acknowledge my words. "My appointment was longer than expected. Were you able to get something for lunch?" I'm sure that the answer was no, and that he had been standing on his feet for the entire time that I was in the office.

"No Ma'am, but I am just fine." Wow, Eric really knew where to find the tough ones.

"Again, please call me Sookie. Are you sure that you don't want to stop and get something to eat? I don't mind if you want to." We all have to eat, most of the time.

"Sorry Sookie, but no. I am just fine. Thanks for the offer." His voice was as monotone as Pam's. I wonder if he would consider dating a vamp. He obviously didn't mind working for them.

"Suit yourself. I'm going straight home so I won't be pulling any detours like I did this morning. It was nice to finally meet you. I'm sure I'll be seeing you again later." Now that got a reaction, he did give a little laugh.

"Excellent, I will see you then."

I reflected on my appointment the entire drive home. I really felt good about Barbie, more so now that she had blindly trusted me enough to hand me pure fairy blood. I wondered if it was her feeling like she was helping me from a medical perspective, or if she thought she was helping me from a fairy, kindred spirit kind of way.

I guess it really didn't matter. She gave me what I needed, and I was going to use it to make sure that I took care of me and of Eric. Thank goodness those vials were airtight. Eric would smell them from a mile away, not to mention any other vampire that happened to be within nose range. I'd be vampire bait, as I had so fondly been referred to in the past.

I pulled into the garage and watched as Thomas drove past and out of sight. I can only assume that he stood post just up the road, able to see the driveway and the house for people coming and going. It was still a good 2 hours before Eric would even be stirring. I thought about that morning and the fact that we had made love in the morning. I got all warm and tingly just thinking about it.

I went into the bedroom and found Eric in the same spot that I left him. I stripped my clothes off and climbed in bed with him, tightening my arms around him. Just like this morning, he felt my presence and wrapped himself around me tightly.

He buried his nose into my hair and took in my scent, muttering something about love as he did so. It made my heart melt as I thought about him talking in his sleep about me. I tucked my head under his chin and let myself drift into sleep, the first time I had closed my eyes since I had gotten out of bed, out of my head. The first time I had closed my eyes and allowed myself to feel happy in weeks. It felt like the weight of the world was temporarily lifted. I needed to feel this, even if it was for one night. Right now it was the only thing I wanted to hold on to . My hope and my Viking.

Apparently our morning romp had tired Eric our more than what was expected. When I climbed into bed with him I expected that he would be up, fondling my naked body in about two hours. Well, four hours had passed and it was me that actually woke first. I looked at the clock and needed to rub my eyes to make sure I was seeing it correctly. I really wore my sex god out this morning.

I looked at him as he lay just on the cusp of waking. I could see that his eyes were fluttering just a bit, odd because normally he snaps right awake. I took in his beautiful body and got a wicked thought. He usually wakes me up by rubbing his hands all over me, or his mouth, tongue, whatever he feels the need to use. This once it was my turn.

I began to run my fingers over his cool, rock hard chest. I traced invisible circles around his very erect, pencil eraser sized nipples. With each brush of my finger tip his body would respond slightly. I began to replace my fingers with my tongue and let my mouth explore him chest, running the length of his body.

Now I knew that he was waking because he was staring to moan my name. His erection was obvious, my hands brushed against the length and my body almost had tremors as I thought about what was to come. I let my mouth work downward, hoping that he would completely wake up just as I got to his gracious plenty.

My very hot mouth was feeling like it was on fire in comparison to his cool flesh. I dragged my fingernails across his stomach and my hand was quickly grabbed by a strong, lustful fist.

"Lover, this will be twice in one day that I have been able to wake to such pleasure." His eyes were burning with desire and I could feel his sexual hunger and his physical hunger through our bond.

"Morning honey. You were sleeping in, I thought that it was time for you to get up. So I helped get you up." I said this with a very sly smile and motioned to his very up penis.

"Well as you can see, up I am." He gave me his evil grin and told me to proceed with his eyes.

I winked at him and took him into my mouth, hearing him let out a very satisfied sigh as I did this. It felt like it had been years since we had been together like this. So much had happened, we had lost this form of intimacy. It was just something that I had been avoiding, more so than the regular sex.

I was always very eager to have oral sex with Eric, it gave me a feeling of control and power. That was exactly the reason why I had been avoiding it since I had been attacked. It was used while I was held against my will.

I blocked all thoughts of that time, determined to enjoy this moment. I pushed lust and as much desire as I possibly could through the bond. When Eric felt this he laced his fingers in my hair and began moving himself against me.

"God, fucking incredible. Don't stop what you're doing, Uh…Sookie…Uh, fuck" I let my mouth slide along, making sure to let my tongue hit the most sensitive spot at the head. He couldn't hold his release back. I knew it would be quick, my pace was fast and it had been too long since we had been together like this. I was feeling positively smug.

"Well, little anxious tonight lover?" For some reason I knew my words would come back to bite me. Eric had me straddling his body and my head in his hands. His eyes were sparkling with sexual satisfaction.

"Anxious? Are you questioning my ability to perform dear one? I plan on having you so many times tonight that you are going to be begging me to come so I can be done with you. I think I'll start right now." He kissed me like he was going to devour my tongue.

He impaled me on to his more than ready length and pumped me up and down, faster than I expected. I couldn't catch my breath and needed to grab on to the bed linens to keep from feeling like I was going to fall. I knew that he was trying to make me climax as quickly as he did, and it was going to be pretty easy. I could feel myself ready to explode. He must have sensed the edge of my orgasm because he slowed just slightly enough to look me in the eyes, lower his head to my breast, and bite gently. I fell over the edge and tumbled to one of the fasted orgasms I have ever had.

"My lover, anxious are you? Lets get cleaned up, I want to see you in that dress. I have plans that involve fucking you in that dress." Remember the saying that your mom used to recite when you were a kid, 'don't poke a sleeping dog with a stick', well I guess I poked. I had poked Eric with the imaginary stick and he was ready to make me pay, not that I was complaining. I was looking forward to what the night brought.

He carried me with him into the bathroom and never put me down as he started the shower. He stepped under the warm spray of the water, me still wrapped around his waist. I laid my head on his shoulder and let the water cover my body. I thought that if I died right now, just like this, I would be happy. If my world came to an end at this very moment, I was in the arms of the man I loved.

Eric began slowly kissing my neck, gently and sweetly. I tilted my head to the side to allow him better access to the little places. He nuzzled his face against me and I relished the feel of his lips on my skin. His hands roamed freely over my body, searching for something that he never knew was lost.

My legs were locked around his waist, putting me at the perfect level to return the favor of sweet necking. I let my tongue lick the water from his neck and his shoulders, making sure he felt my mouth against his skin. I kissed his ears and nibbled his earlobe, knowing he loved that just as much as I did.

We were slow and we were delicate. Now that we had worked off the immediate lust that overcame us moment earlier, we could enjoy each others bodies. He moved me slights, positioning himself right at my opening. I wanted him, needed him.

"Eric, I need you." I whispered in his ear as I sucked on his earlobe. He gently pushed into me, allowing my body to adjust to the position of our bodies. He filled me, completed me.

He moved our bodies together, perfectly, as if he was listening to a harmony in his mind. Our tongues danced to the rhythm as our bodies wrapped around each other. He leaned me against the shower wall, bracing me for what was to come.

He moved us to our slow, blissfully ecstatic orgasms. We gripped each other tightly as we both reached the end together, never breaking from our mouths. His name was on the tip of my lips, ready to be shouted, but something kept me from yelling in pleasure. Instead we let the intensity be felt through our bond, through our kiss, through our bodies.

I needed to stay braced against that wall while I caught my breath and steadied my legs. My body felt like a quivering mass of jello, completely satisfied and happy. I looked at Eric and smiled. He chose not to mention either one of us being anxious about anything.

TBC...


	17. Chapter 17

I got ready fairly quickly, having all of the tension and anxiety erased from my body. I looked at the dress hanging on the hanger in my closet. I smiled as I let my fingers trail along the fabric, remembering the night I wore it to Fangtasia.

So much had happened since that time. If someone had told me all those years ago that I would end up bonded, married no less to Eric, I probably would have laughed a genuine, no way in hell laugh. Now all I could think about was not being bonded or married to him. I could not even imagine my life without him.

The dress looked a little worn, having aged several years along with me. The fabric was a little thinner than it used to be, but it still had that sweet, innocent quality to it. I looked around for my best push up bra, knowing that I was going to need a little extra push tonight.

This dress was great as accentuating my breasts. Unfortunately these past few weeks have done a number on my greatest asset. I thought about seriously looking for some duct tape to push those puppies up and give them the fullness that Eric was so used to.

I let my hair flow free, curled just a little as it spread out across my shoulders. I needed a little more makeup than usual. I was trying to hide the discoloration of my neglected skin. I felt like I was one of those pageant people, you know, the ones that wear so much makeup your almost afraid to hug them. Afraid that your clothes would be stained if they rubbed against you. I hoped it wasn't obvious, I was not used to feeling so covered.

I walked out of the bathroom and found Eric sitting on the bed, head buried in his hands. He was very deep in thought. I almost didn't want to disturb him, but as soon as I entered the room, as silent as I may have been, he felt me. He felt my concern as I saw him sitting there. He lifted his head and looked at me in my dress, the dress that he first saw me in. I saw his fangs draw down and knew that he was appreciating the view.

I did a little twirl and decided to put off asking him about what was bothering him. He smiled at me and I could tell that he was reflecting on the first time we had met. I could feel through our bond the pride and the love he felt when he thought of us. I made sure to push the exact same felling back to him.

He looked so handsome, wearing a dark blue cashmere sweater and gray dress pants. No matter what he wore, it simply looked amazing. I gazed at his beautiful perfection, his sparkling, blue eyes, golden mane, perfect skin. He was stunning, and he was mine. I felt the need to say it out loud as I gazed at him.

"Mine, you are all mine." I smiled and watched his expression as the words came out of my mouth.

"Dear one, the things you say to me. Are you trying to make us late for dinner? If you keep talking like that I think we will be in trouble. You know what it does to me when you get all possessive about me." He smirked his Eric smirk and held his hand out to me.

"I know, I was just reminding myself how lucky I am. Where are we going anyway?" I took his hand and let him lead me out to the car.

"Just out to dinner, nothing fancy. As long as we spend the night alone and free of distractions, I will be happy. Did you have something else in mind, other than showing me just how much I am yours." God, I loved it when he was just so Eric.

"No, sounds great to me." We drove away from the house, and as expected, a car trailed behind us. Eric wasn't taking any chances, even when he was with me. We drove silently, holding hands and reflecting on our time together. I guess wearing this dress as he requested had really brought up some memories for both of us.

I could feel him as we drove, mindlessly rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. His mind was miles away, I can only guess that he was thinking about meeting me years ago, and the impending trial that he needed to leave for.

We pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and he took my hand to his mouth, kissing it gently. He looked at me through very weary, very tired looking eyes.

"My love, I am the luckiest being on this Earth to have won your heart. When I saw you for the first time, in this dress, I was ruined. Ruined for all others that would approach me after that night. I knew that making you mine would not be easy, but I would have pursued you for a lifetime. I would still be searching you out today if we had not found ourselves in each other. You are mine, and you always will be. I love you Sookie, more than I thought possible." With that he kissed me, gently, deeply, like there was no tomorrow for either of us.

After his kiss I thought that getting through dinner was going to be utter torture. All I wanted to do was get him somewhere that I could show him just how much I was his, and how much he belonged to me. I'm pretty sure he knew that my body was burning with want. I knew that he could smell my arousal, and he could hear the blood course through my veins. I needed him more at that moment than any other time I could remember.

The host showed us to our table and neither one of us could take our eyes off of each other. It felt like his eyes had magnets inside of them, pulling my eyes to his. I don't even remember looking at the menu, but I somehow ordered my meal and a drink. We held hands and let our legs intertwine under the table. If you were a stranger looking at us you might think that we were love struck teenagers, enjoying the first weeks of a new relationship. Instead we were just relishing in our unending love for one another.

Our dinner was uneventful, no emergency phone calls alerting us to imminent danger, no confrontations in the restaurant, just the two of us. It was quiet, perfect, normal. I realized that I had the two vials of fairy blood in my bag. I decided that I wanted to test to potency of what I was provided.

A test run was in order for what I was going to try and pull off. I trusted Eric with my life, and I knew that even if he got slightly intoxicated from the blood, he would never hurt me, at least I hoped. It was a big risk, but I couldn't go into Las Vegas without having something to back my plan up with.

I excused myself to use the ladies room and kissed Eric over the table, running my hands through his silk, blond hair. I gave the restaurant a quick mind scan to make sure that there were no other vampires present. The last thing I needed was to be blindsided by a horny vamp, other than Eric.

No voids other than Eric were anywhere to be found. I went into the ladies room and shut myself in a stall. I sat down and pulled a vial from my bag, examining the deep, rich liquid that filled the glass. I carefully removed the top and dabbed the tip of my pinky inside the rim. I dotted my finger on my pulse point right behind my ear. I thought that if I used it as perfume it would waft casually into Eric's nose.

Just in case that wasn't enough, I dipped my finger in again, just slightly touching it to the liquid. I put the finger in my mouth and let the blood dissolve on my tongue. Now that miniscule amount was ingested into my body. No turning back now.

I returned to the table and winked at Eric as I sat down. I took his hand in mine again and this time I let my foot slide up his leg. He gave me a wicked look and went to whisper something in my ear. I actually heard his nostrils flare as he inhaled my scent.

"Sookie, what have you done?" His eyes were becoming glazed as he looked at me with complete hunger and desire. The waiter came over to offer us dessert and I thought that Eric was going to kill him.

"We want nothing except the check, and quickly, now." I think the waiter may have started to have an asthma attack. Our check was on our table in about thirty seconds. Eric never even looked at how much it was, he just threw a stack of cash from his pocket on the table and grabbed me by the arm.

We were almost running out of the restaurant, my breath heavy from trying to keep up with him. All of a sudden he pulled me into a room that I can only assume was a coat room. He pinned me against the wall and let his mouth find my breasts. He dropped to his knees and began kissing the entire length of my body. I didn't even care that we were in a room, inside a public restaurant. All I wanted was him, right then and there.

He stood up and took me in his arms, making sure that I wrapped my legs around his body. He pushed two fingers inside of me and found that I was more than ready and more that turned on by this whole situation. He pushed my thong out of the way and had himself inside of me in seconds.

I moaned as he pushed into me, completely unaware that someone might hear us. It was amazing, I had never had sex in a public place before. I mean, we had sex at Fangtasia, and outside, but never in an actual public area. It took mere minutes, but we both were so turned on that our orgasms were simultaneous. He made sure I was steady on my feet and put back to rights before we continued our exit.

We were barely at the car when he had his lips on mine. There was a low, animalistic growl escaping his throat. I felt my back against the cold metal of the car and the cool flesh of his hands wandering up my thigh. I couldn't believe that he was ready to go again, it had been about thirty seconds.

"God, Sookie…what did you do? Your scent, you are amazing, I can't get enough of you. I think I might just have to bite you, and rub you, and fuck you right here." He was frenzied as he let his mouth and his hands trail over my body.

He licked my neck and let his tongue drag upwards towards my ear. He must have gotten a taste of the fairy blood because his head snapped up and he looked at me, almost scared.

"Lover, there is pure fairy blood on your body. What are you trying to do to me?" He was almost over the edge with lust and desire.

"Eric, do you trust me? I mean do you trust me, really? I would never do anything to hurt you, just like I know you would never do anything to hurt me. Please, don't ask any questions, just take me home. Take me home and show me that I am yours." The words barely finished getting passed my lips. His mouth was back on mine.

He was raking his fingers across my flesh, causing me to tremble under his hands. He grabbed my hips and lifted me on to the hood of his car. He was on top of me before I could resist his very public advance. Before at least we were sheltered, in a dark room that had a door. Here we were in a parking lot, albeit a quiet one. His tongue continued to lap at the spot behind my ear, making sure to taste all of the delicious elixir that was a drug to him.

I grabbed a fistful of his hair and looked him in the eye. This fairy blood was some kind of drug to vampires. If he was a teenager I'd think he was stoned.

"Eric, if you want me right now, please, take me in the car. I don't want to have sex on the hood of your car, in a parking lot." I hoped he was alert enough to hear my request.

I was being scooped up and tossed into the passengers seat, Eric on top of me, making sure to incline the seat so he could at least get a better angle to me. Problem was, he was too damn tall to make love to me in a Corvette with him on top of me. I grabbed him by the neck of his expensive sweater and forced him into the drivers seat.

I placed myself in his lap and let my tongue glide over his neck and his shoulder. He moaned my name as he begged for me to take all of him inside of me. I kissed his mouth and let myself nibble on his bottom lip. I think that seeing him this way was making me just as intoxicated as him.

I pulled my dress up slightly and let him lower me onto his steel hard erection. I could feel it throbbing inside of my body. I rocked myself against his hips, making sure that he watched me as I worked us both to another climax. His big, forceful hands guided my hips and helped reach the spot deep inside my body.

I didn't want him to bite me yet, I knew that the tiny bit of blood I had ingested needed a little more time to get into my blood stream. I wanted him to really be surprised when he got a mouthful of my spiked blood.

I took his face in my hands and let my voice yell out his name. He was pumping into me furiously now, making sure to go as deep as he possibly could go.

"Eric, oh Eric. Don't bite me, don't bite me here. Please, take me at home. God I love you, Oh God, Oh God, Oh." I felt his fangs start to graze my neck and I was worried that he wouldn't be able to stop himself.

"Lover, Fairy, Fuck…God…Sookie, Fuck, Oh my God." He was ready to send his fangs right into my flesh. I knew it was drastic, but I needed him to wait. I grabbed him by the hair and bit his lip, hard.

"Lover, if you bite me now, you don't get to fuck me later. And trust me, you're going to want to fuck me later. Now, come like a good boy and take me home." I had hoped that my rough pull of his hair along with the bite on his lip would break through his spell.

He smiled at me and shifted his hips just slightly. The second he did that he set off my own orgasm, sending waves of pleasure through my body. My muscles tightening around him brought his release on and he howled my name. It was intense, powerful, passionate.

I got myself back in my seat and he began to drive home. I knew he was counting down the moments until he could have me again. This fairy blood was some powerful stuff. No wonder they can't be alone in the same room with each other, all I used was a drop.

"Lover, I don't know what you did, but please know…you are playing with fire. I am going to make you come so many times tonight that you might not be able to move tomorrow. You should not be playing with fairy blood lover, it is far too dangerous. With that being said, you are absolutely delicious and I am drunk with your scent."

I was surprised that he was able to form a sentence, never mind scold me slightly for getting my hands on the blood. My body was burning with wanting him. I wasn't even the drunk one. I guess a part of me was realizing that this could be our last night together.

Tomorrow night he was going to get on a plane and expected me to just sit back and watch him disappear. He was going to fly to Nevada and hope that he would make all of this nastiness disappear. Well, I was sick and tired of just waiting around and hoping for something good to happen. If there is anything I've learned in the past month, it's that you can't just sit around and wait for things to get better.

I looked over at my husband, my world, and knew that I had made the right decision. I was going to follow him to Las Vegas, I was going to entrap Felipe De Castro into attacking me. I was going to make myself irresistible to him with this fairy blood. I was going to make sure there were witnesses, and I was going to kill him.

All I needed now was a plane ticket, access to Felipe's compound, and an unbreakable wall of courage. It would be worth it, all of it. I would not be a victim again, never would I be a victim. I was taking charge, and if that meant killing the threat to my life, my family, I was going to do it.

TBC...


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N- I thought that these next few chapters needed to be in Eric's point of view. I'm really sorry if this throws you off, but I think it's about time we get to hear his opinion! Since this is in EPOV be prepared for very naughty language! Consider this chapter the fluff before the storm…**

**PS-Thank You so much for all of the great reviews. I wish that I could respond to everyone and thank them personally, but that is just impossible. So, a BIG thank you to all. It is so appreciated and they really keep me going, especially when I feel like giving up.**

How could she have done that? She knows how dangerous it is to have a vampire around fairy blood. Really, it's not that I'm complaining, but fuck. I swear to the gods she is going to be immobile tomorrow.

I looked at her as we drove home from the restaurant. I had just taken her in the coatroom and the car. Now, all I could think about was pulling over on the side of the road and taking her again. Shit, I couldn't stop looking at her legs, the way that dress was sitting just above her knees. It was like the perfect tease. I wanted to take my fingers and test just how ready she was to have me again.

I was so happy that my little vixen was back. After I brought her home from the hospital I thought that she was never going to be the same. I do know this much, she is a changed woman. She is much more angry and she is much more unstable. The old Sookie was innocent and almost childlike. That was gone, a shadow of a memory.

I was thinking about why she wouldn't let me bite her while we were fucking in the car. She was never one to deny me feeding, especially when mind blowing sex was involved. I wondered what she was up to. Speaking of up, I was suddenly very aware of the ache that was coming out of my pants. I was certainly up and needed to do something about it, and quickly.

Her smell invaded my senses. My nose was overcome with her magical scent. I looked at her through narrow, intoxicated eyes and she just giggled. Jesus, if she only knew the monster that she had let loose. Just being this close to her, smelling her, not being able to fuck her properly as I drove. I was almost in pain.

I needed something to take the edge off, I began to rub myself through my pants. I couldn't bare the feeling of myself pressing so hard against the zipper of my slacks. I heard her gasp slightly as she noticed what I was doing.

"I can only think about you, tasting you, feeling you, fucking you. The fairy in you and on you is making me so fucking crazy. I need you and can't have you while I drive. Oh, Sookie." I moaned her name as I caresses myself, rubbing harder as I looked at her.

Her eyes grew wide and I watched her lick her lips. God she was a fucking goddess when she wanted to be. I think she may have bit her bottom lip as she watched my hand stroke my very long erection. If she wasn't ready before, I sure could smell her arousal now.

"Eric, let me help you with that." Holy shit, my wife must be worshiped. She unzipped my fly and lowered her head into my lap. I took my eyes off the road and watched her unfold my dick from my pants. In one very erotic motion I was buried deep in her mouth, her hand wrapped around the base. I felt my hips buck uncontrollably into her mouth, causing her to gag momentarily. Being the amazing woman she is, she quickly recovered and gave me a wicked nip, letting me know that I was not to do that again.

My foot pressed the accelerator, speeding towards our house. I needed to get her home and make her scream my name in ways that even she couldn't imagine. I felt her tongue glide along my dick, teasing me with each lick. I had to think that she too was drunk on the atmosphere.

I threw my head back on to my supple leather seat and closed my eyes, enjoying every minute of my wife pleasuring me as we drove home. I could feel the tip of my erection start to tingle and twitch, knowing that I was about to explode. With no warning she squeezed my balls and kneaded them, allowing me to empty every last drop into her.

"GodFuckAhSookie" All one word, no pauses, pure rush. She was definitely in need of a reward for that little experience. I was going about a hundred miles an hour when we pulled down our street. Thank god she remembered to open the garage door as we pulled down the street or I swear I would have driven right through the fucking door.

Our security car drove past and I was pulling her out of the car faster than she expected. I hoped I didn't hurt her, but was barely able to control myself.

"You are so fucking hot, god I love you. I don't know what you're doing, but fuck me, I love it." She looked at me and knew that I was going to ravage her in every possible way.

"Eric, just wait. You're going to see very soon just what I have done." I was hard again anticipating her cryptic message. I kicked the door open and tossed her on top of the granite kitchen island. She yelled as the cold stone hit her hot ass.

I crashed my mouth on hers and felt like I could have swallowed her tongue. Every part of her tasted like fucking candy. So sweet and so magical. She was panting, just from kissing. How I loved how hot she could get. She could really match me when it came to sex. We really were meant for each other.

I tore the straps from her dress, not even realizing that I had done this. I was going to need to make sure that got fixed, this dress held so much emotion for both of us. When the straps broke, her breasts came spilling out, almost falling into my mouth.

I tore the bra from her body and ravaged her perfect breasts. I sucked, nipped, tweaked every inch of those perfect mounds. Hearing her whimper as I took them in my mouth made me even harder, if possible.

I let my mouth travel down her chest, pushing down her dress as I went. She had a delicious glisten of salty sweat covering her body. It was from us getting all worked up now, and the fact that I had taken her twice already. My tongue was delighted to have all of the different tastes dance across it.

I made my way to her center and grabbed her legs and wrapped them around my neck, completely exposing her beautiful, womanhood to my mouth. I felt her relax her thighs on my shoulders and was ready to treat her to a very well deserved release.

"Lover, watch me." Her head snapped up and she watched me as I circled my tongue around her. Her hips became more frenzied, lifting up to meet my lips, my tongue, and finally my fingers. She was so hot and so beautiful as I watched her pleasure.

"God, Eric…God, don't ever stop, ever!" I loved it when she talked during sex, it made me want her even more. Her fingers weaved into my hair and I felt like I could come just watching her. I needed to taste her, to have her life inside of me. I took my mouth away from her and watched as her eyes begged me not to stop.

"Tell me to do it. You were very clear about not biting you before. Tell me lover, what do you want?" I let my fingers continue to work her, making sure she didn't lose the energy that had built up inside of her.

"Eric, bite me, do it. Please, bite me now." I was not going to make my goddess of a wife beg. I turned my face to her thigh and bit, hard. The sweet, elixir filled my mouth as I drank her into me.

Wait, something is different. Something is very different and very…Fairy. Fuck, fuck, she actually ingested fairy blood.

Her orgasm exploded and she writhed against the cold, hard, granite counter top. The blood that was coursing through my body, the fairy tainted blood, caused me to release as well. My orgasm ripped through my body as I licked my lips, and then went back for more, causing her to quiver with mini orgasms as I drank from her again.

"Lover, I can not be responsible for my actions. I will not hurt you, but you must understand, you have played a very dangerous game. Fuck Sookie, my little Fairy Princess." I felt the blood warm through my veins and knew that I was going to be acting like a frat boy on Viagra.

I looked at my Fairy tainted wife as she lay spent on the counter top. Her breathing was still labored, trying to come back to normal from her orgasm. I took her in my arms and flew, literally, to the bedroom.

"Eric, don't you think that we should catch our breath, um…don't you think I should catch my breath." She chuckled at her choice of words. How I wish I could let her relax.

"Sorry lover, you will have no reprieve until that fairy blood has worked its way out of your system. Right now I'm going to ask you nicely to take that dress off. I don't want to ruin it, anymore than I already have." She actually listened to me, slowly stepping out of the beautiful garment.

Before she could toss it on the chair I had her by the hips, pulling her ass into my crotch. God how I loved that ass. I let her fall forward on the bed, making sure that I did not fall on top of her and crush her under my weight. My head felt dizzy and dick felt like it hadn't been properly used in years. All I wanted to do was take her, over and over again. I had this insatiable need to have her.

She looked over her shoulder at me, giving me the most seductive fucking grin I think I've ever seen. She nodded and I knew that I could have my way with her. I don't even remember tearing my clothes from my body, all I know was that I was naked and ready to drive into her like I was drilling for oil.

She was slick, hot, more than ready for me. I buried myself inside if her, throwing my head back as I felt myself inside of her. I was desperately trying to hold back, knowing all too well what happened the last time I screwed while high on fairy blood. Let's just say my partner didn't make it out. It didn't help that my partner was a fucking fairy goddess. Nonetheless, I fucked her good, but in the end, she ended up very…dry.

I couldn't believe that she was keeping up with me. I knew that she had been in a very bad place for far too long, but this was amazing. It was like a switch had been turned on inside of her. She wanted this just as much as I did, and she wasn't drunk. I pumped into her, vampire speed meant nothing to me at that point. All I wanted to do was get lost in her, every inch of her.

My hands were roaming all over her, I couldn't stop myself from touching her skin as I made love to her. I needed to feel how soft, how hot, how supple she was. I could feel how much she loved me through our bond, even the fairy blood intoxication couldn't stop me from feeling that. I let my hands pull her back into my hips, each time I slammed into her, causing her to yelp. Even her voice made me want her.

I could feel yet another orgasm start to build. I needed to think quickly. Did I want to take another bite of my lover, and take even more of her laced blood, or did I want to allow this high to wear off? Fuck, how can you make a decision like that when your in the process of fucking such a gorgeous creature.

I decided that it would be better for us to come down slowly. I could tell already that she was going to be very sore tomorrow. Each time she moved she was going to think about the pleasure I gave to her. Sweet misery, sweet discomfort. She was going to remember just how much she was mine.

"Eric, Eric…God, I love you." She was watching me over her shoulder again. I loved it when she did that. I made her look so sexy. But this time she looked different, she looked like she had something to say, other than my name. I couldn't stop myself from thrusting into her, all I could do was slow down.

"Lover, tell me, what do you need. Tell me, anything. All you need to do is ask." She felt so good, I would have done anything, given anything for her.

"Eric, I know that I don't know much, but, do you ever wish that I was more open to other…_things_?" It was hard for her to speak, she was close to another release.

"Lover, you satisfy me in more ways than you could ever imagine." I had a feeling where this was going, and fuck, I hoped I was right.

"Eric, I'm ready. I love you and I know that you won't hurt me. If you want to, you can…you know." I thought I saw her cheeks flush with modesty.

"Sookie, my love, are you sure?"

"God, oh God, Yes!" I'm not sure if it was the sex, or an answer to my question, but I was ready to give her exactly what she was asking for. I reached into the night stand and took out a bottle of very expensive, very nice lubricant. I didn't want to shock her system, so I decided to prep her first.

"Lover, I am going to do this very slowly. If at any point you need me to stop, just tell me. You must relax, or you will not enjoy the experience. Remember, allow your body to enjoy itself, relax, I love you."

I made sure my fingers were nice and coated and I continued to slowly thrust into her. I placed one finger at her opposite entrance and immediately felt her tense. I rubbed her back and kissed her shoulders until she relaxed. One I thought she was ready, I pressed into her. She gasped as she felt me enter her for the first time this way.

I kissed her back and shoulders and remained very still, allowing her body to adjust to this new sensation. Slowly, I began to work the area. To my utter delight, her body was very quick to respond with pleasure. Her breathing picked up and I knew she was not scared. I began thrusting my hips gain, making sure to hit the spot right in front of her cervix.

She was completely filled with me, I was owning my wife, and she was letting me. I slipped another finger in to meet the other and again let her body adjust to the sensation. It didn't take long before her body was begging for more. The sensation was new and exciting to her. I thought she was going to come right then, so I stopped.

She jerked her head back and looked at me, shocked that I had stopped.

"Oh my god, what are you doing?" Her voice was raspy and ragged. All I could do was chuckle and grin at her hunger.

"Relax my love, all in good time. I'm just not done fucking you yet. You tainted your blood, your perfect, irresistible blood. Now, you need to be punished a little. I just haven't decided how I want to punish you." I winked at her and I thought that she was going to kill me with her eyes.

"Eric Northman, you finish what you started this minute. Don't you dare stop, or I swear, you will be sorry." For some strange reason, the look in her eyes told me she wasn't fucking around. She wanted me, and I was ready to give her all I had.

I could feel the fairy blood still pulse through my body, but I felt al little more in control. I pulled out of her and took the bottle of lubricant and squeezed the cold liquid in my hand. I rubbed it up and down my already slick shaft, and then made sure to rub the extra over her beautifully presented ass.

"Sookie, are you alright?" I whispered in her ear, getting a subtle whiff of the fairy scent.

"Yes, now. God Eric, now, please." I had punished her long enough. I slowly placed my self at her very tight opening, pressing against her lightly. I pushed in very gently and very slowly, allowing her to relax and breath. She reached and clawed at the bed linens, making sure to brace herself. She did not seem to be in any discomfort, so I pushed further, until I had buried myself completely.

"Lover, shall we continue?" God she felt so fucking good. Mine, every part of her body was mine.

"Yes, yes, don't you dare stop again." Give the woman what she wants. I began to draw in and out of her, slowly and gently. I listened as her heart rate picked up and her blood began to push through her veins. She was so fucking aroused, all I wanted to do was make her scream my name.

I reached around her waist and began to draw circles around her swollen nub, causing her to buck her hips against me. I picked up my pace, making sure that she was not in any pain. I let my fingers caress her folds and her nub as I thrust in and out. I reached over her with my long torso and reached up to her neck to draw my tongue over her shoulder.

She turned her head to face me and kissed me, hard, deep, rough. The feel of her mouth that rough against mine made me start to come. She bit my upper lip and I gave her quick, hard, thrusts and my fingers moved out of control. I felt every muscle in her body tighten and she actually screeched as she came harder than she ever had before.

I swear her orgasm went on for minutes as she rode it out, the muscles contracting around my fingers and my dick. My name never sounded so fucking sweet as when it was said during the throws of her passion. I felt a tear fall from her eye as her body actually gave out under her.

"Lover, are you hurt? Did I hurt you, you should have told me?" I thought that she was fine.

"Eric, I am wonderful. You didn't hurt me, all you did was love me. I never thought that I could feel that way. I just gave every part of myself to you, and I have never been happier. Promise me that you'll never stop loving me like that. Promise me that you'll always want me, all of me." I could hear how desperate she was. She was desperate to hold on to us, our life.

She was trying to put off tomorrow as much as I was. I would never leave her, not unless it was forced upon me by death. I would never allow another to take her from me. I would kill them first. She is far too precious, far too important to me. I needed to show her that I was not scared of leaving her tomorrow, not afraid of what my fate might be.

She needed to hear that I was planning on loving her like that for the rest of our lives.

"Lover, I will always love like that, always. After I return we will go away and I will show just how much you are mine." I made love to her all night. I only stopped because the dawn was approaching. I needed to hold her and be with her for as long as possible. It may have been the last night I ever made love to my wife.

TBC…


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N-We're still in EPOV here. **

I woke early, too early. Every fiber of my being wanted to grab her and run, just as she had asked me to do a couple of nights before. I had kept her up all night long, making love to her, holding her, loving her.

Neither one of us was willing to talk about the future, it was like we couldn't admit that things could change. I saw the rays of the sun come just barely peek across the horizon this morning, it was breathtaking. I watched her as she closed her eyes and finally drifted off to sleep.

I knew that she was fighting it, knew that she was forcing herself to stay awake. She was trying to prevent tomorrow from arriving. I could not leave her, not now. She had finally come out of her own head. She was getting help, she was moving forward with treatment.

I will never forget the way she looked when I saw her that night. I had searched frantically for her for six nights. I searched everywhere that I knew off. I had threatened everyone I came in contact with. I knew that something very bad was happening, little did I know how bad things really were.

When I finally felt her it almost broke me. Whatever was keeping her mind altered, whatever was keeping our bond quiet was gone, and when it was gone, it was like an anvil being crushed against my skull.

I felt every ounce of pain and fear that was in her body. She was so hurt, so scared, so desperate. My love, the one person that I swore I would protect with my life. She was hurt beyond repair, not just physically. She was trying to reach out for me, trying to call me. She was too weak, too broken.

The minute I felt her I took to the sky, following the pain that her body was feeling. If I needed to breath, I would have been suffocating under the pain and the despair. How could she be alive and be feeling this kind of torture?

When I saw her I almost lost any remaining control. She was lying on the dirty ground, naked, bloody, beaten, covered by an overcoat. She felt my arrival, but she couldn't even look at me. At that moment I was more scared for us than I had ever been, or perhaps ever will be again. I didn't know if she couldn't look at me because I was seeing her in this way, if she was upset that she had killed her attacker, or worse, if she was angry that I wasn't able to protect her.

Never have I seen anything as painful as my wife, my lover, my bonded, in that vulnerable a position. I could smell her body, I could smell the dirty things that had been done to her. My rage and my fury was boiling over when I saw her point in the direction of where she was held.

Before anyone could notice me, I disappeared down that dark, torturous hallway. I tried to feel what it would have been like for her to escape this place on her own, how terrified she must have been. I could smell his blood, I could smell his semen, I could smell his sweat.

If there was an ounce of life left in his miserable body when I got there I was going to make sure he got what he deserved. I walked into her cell and took in my surroundings. Her blood, her tears, her desperation were everywhere. My dead heart actually felt pain as I bore witness to what had happened to her in that room.

I looked down at his body and saw what she had done. I smiled at how thoroughly she had ended his life. I saw the knife that she used to kill him, I picked it up and I knew that he had tortured her with this very knife.

My beautiful wife, my beating heart, my soul. He had taken everything from her. How I wished I could have had the opportunity to torture him the same way he had tortured her. I would have used the other end of the knife on him, the cool, steel edge would have slid nicely into his ass. I would have loved cutting him.

Out of pure hate, I plunged that knife into his body, wishing that he could feel that last bit of pain. I was so surprised tonight when she gave herself to me in that way, especially since she had been violated in such a horrific manner.

But, that's my Sookie. She will always amaze me, always think of ways to surprise me, even after 1000 years on this Earth. As I watched her sleep I knew that I would never be able to say goodbye to her. I desperately wanted to wake her and tell her how much I loved her, but that would just make things worse.

I needed to do this my way. I silently packed a bag and thought about all of the things that we had survived together. She was my angel, the one thing that made me less of a monster. I never knew that I would ever have someone like her. I have done evil, awful things in my long life. But her, she loves me anyway. Fuck, I'm beginning to think she's the reason I'm still on this Earth.

I watched her breath, her chest gently rising as she inhaled. I listened to her heart as it beat in her chest. My heart, my beating, my world. I brushed a piece of hair out of her face and tucked it delicately behind her ear. I grabbed a pen and paper and decided that it was best to write her my goodbye.

_My Love,_

_Do not be upset that I have left you this letter to say goodbye. I knew that seeing you upset would break me, and I can not do this and know that you are hurt. I have lived a very long, very satisfying life, but none of that mattered until the night I met you. You changed my world Sookie. I am forever in your debt, and plan on showing you just how much you mean to me when I return._

_With that being said, if something should happen while I am away, you must protect yourself. Lover, if I am unable to protect you, and Pam is still with you, please go to her. She will make all of the arrangements to care for you. You must do as she says for your own protection. If I am gone there will be nothing to stop anyone from claiming you. Do not let them find you, do whatever it takes to stay safe._

_I have no plans of being taken from you my love, but should something happen that is out of my control, know how much I love you. Know that you will be the last thought in my mind, the last word spoken from my mouth, and the last vision I see in my head. Your beautiful face will forever be a part of me, just as your voice will be emblazoned on my soul. You are part of me, I am yours. I was yours from the moment I saw you. Remember how much I love you, always. Even if we are separated, I will return to you. No matter what it takes, or what form I may be, I will always return to you._

_Jag älskar dig, my love, my Bonded, my everything._

_Always,_

_Eric_

I hadn't noticed, but a tear had escaped my eye and fallen on to the page as I wrote. One red drop was staining the paper. I folded the note and placed it gently beside her head. I kissed her hair and kissed her lips as softly as I ever had. I could not let her wake up. If she woke now I would never be able to walk away. I said a silent prayer that I would see that silent beauty again.

My body ached as I closed the door to our bedroom. I looked around my house and took in its silence. The sun had not been down for more than ten minutes. I needed to get this done with. I was never one to walk away from a fight. I was also never one that had someone like her waiting for me at home.

I pulled out my phone and called the asshole's hotel.

"I am ready. I will meet you at Fangtasia. No, there is no need to send a guard to my house, I'm not going anywhere. I will see you very soon." Asshole, thinking I was going to run. Yeah, and give him more dirt to throw in my face. Fuck him.

I did not want to take my car, not knowing how long I was going to be gone was kind of a downer. I took to the sky and landed on the ground at Fangtasia moments later. Pam didn't even know that I was here. She knew that the trial had been called, in fact Felipe himself had told her that she needed to be present as she was being called as a witness.

The last I heard she was leaving on an Anubis flight later tonight. Me, I got the personal treatment. I got to fly on Felipe's personal jet, as a prisoner that is. Asshole. When I touched down I looked around at the business I had built from nothing. I was proud of my accomplishments. I may hate the fucking tourists, and the fucking fang bangers that frequent this place, but they are the ones that keep me so wealthy.

I heard his limo pulling into the parking lot, and he and Sandy both stepped out. The driver walked around from the car and had the balls to ask me to turn around.

"What the fuck is going on. I told you that I was more than willing to come with you, and this is how you treat me, king?" I didn't let my anger hide in my words.

"Ah, Northman. Protocol states that you be shackled as we travel to where your trial is to be held. It could be worse, I should be using silver." I heard the metal clasp around my wrists and ankles. He was really going to play this way.

"King, I highly doubt that Sandy here is going to tell anyone if you chose to uncuff me. Really, who are we kidding. I am coming on my own free will, I am no threat to anyone." I tried to reason with the bastard. I could see that Sandy was feeling torn about this entire situation.

"Silence Viking. Be happy that this is all I am doing to you. I'm feeling very giving tonight. If you push me I just may decide to pay our little telepath a visit. I am sure that she is quite torn up about your leaving her." If my hands weren't bound I would have torn him apart. That was the reason he wanted me incapacitated. He wanted to torment me with threats to Sookie.

He could see the anger behind my eyes, he laughed a disgusting laugh. I wanted to rip his throat. I know that these shackles were not silver, but I also did not know what else he had in store for me. I decided to not test the waters just yet. I let him lead me to the car.

As we drove off I thought of her sleeping soundly, not even aware that I was gone. It felt like a knife rupturing my flesh, not being with her, not knowing what our future held. Thank Christ the drive was quiet. He did not goad me with threats to my wife. I rested my head back and listened to the nauseating sounds of easy listening.

Felipe was a pussy. He got off on his love songs after dark. I almost think that he and Julio Iglesias are one in the same. I wanted to vomit at the outpouring of dedications some of these humans had. Really? Your husband knocked up a teenager, but God almighty, you just can't stop loving him? Or, your mama was caught with your boyfriend in bed, but you still think that you can live as a normal, happy family? Let's make it all better with a song by Whitney fucking Houston. Fuck them. They don't know real problems. Fuck them all.

I think this may have been the start of my torture, having to listen to this shit all the way to the airport. Oh, I'm sure on the plane ride too. Just then I heard the melody of a song. It sent a surge of emotion through me, along with a flood of memories.

I was laying with her, in front of her fire. We were in Bon Temps, we were alone. But, there was something different about us. We were talking, just talking. I scanned the memory in my mind, she was beautiful. She was talking about her ex- boyfriend. Her ex-boyfriend? She was talking about Bill, and her being staked. She was rolling on to her side and showing me her scar.

This was before we were us, this was when I was cursed. This was the night that I truly let her see me. Before I had even made love to her, she was a part of my soul. The way she looked as she told her stories, she was so perfect. The words of the song echoed in my mind.

_If you wait for me then I'll come for you _

_Although I've traveled far I always hold a place for you in my heart_

_If you think of me, If you miss me once in a while _

_Then I'll return to you I'll return and fill that space in your heart _

I had remembered talking to her in front of the fire. Sharing that night with her and really feeling like I was meant to be there. What I hadn't remembered was the radio on in the background. This song was playing, the melody and the words must have meant something at the time, enough for it to have this effect on me at this moment. Now, all I could do was close my eyes and listen to the haunting sound.

_Remembering Your touch Your kiss Your warm embrace _

_I'll find my way back to you If you'll be waiting _

_If you dream of me like I dream of you_

_In a place that's warm and dark _

_In a place where I can feel the beating of your heart _

I pictured her, waking up, realizing that I was gone. I knew how angry,

how upset she would be. I knew that she would be hurt more that I was too much of a coward to say goodbye. She deserved better. I was going to get through this and I was going to give her everything that she deserved. I was suddenly regretting not taking her in my arms and holding her one last time. Not feeling her warm skin against mine. Not smelling her body, hearing her voice, kissing her lips.

_Remembering Your touch Your kiss Your warm embrace_

_I'll find my way back to you If you'll be waiting_

_I've longed for you and I have desired To see your face your smile_

_To be with you wherever you are _

I remembered last night, how willing she was to please me. How dangerous she was when she had played with that fairy blood. She had shocked me yet again. I couldn't get enough of her, even after the blood worked its way out of our systems. My mind wandered back to that night all of those years ago. I couldn't get that image out of my head.

The way the fire lit her face, the way her skin felt as I ran my fingers over her glossy scar. Even then she wasn't afraid of me. She should have been. She should never have taken me into her home, unprotected. But, there I was, alone with her. Talking, laughing, sharing.

_Remembering Your touch Your kiss Your warm embrace_

_I'll find my way back to you Please say you'll be waiting _

_Together again It would feel so good to be In your arms _

_Where all my journeys end If you can make a promise_

_If it's one that you can keep, I vow to come for you_

_If you wait for me and say you'll hold _

_A place for me in your heart. _

I felt her wake, I felt her heart breaking and I knew that she was reading the letter. My body twitched as I felt how bitter she was. I tried to push my love and my courage through to her, but it was met by more anger, and sadness. All she wanted was a chance to say goodbye, and I took that from her. I am a selfish, fucking bastard. I deserve to be staked. But I can't leave her, I can't leave her ever. She needs to be there for me when I return. I promised her, I will return.

Her emotions were stirring mine, I was so angry at this situation, so angry that this was going to happen. I could feel that she was sobbing, wanting me to go to her and give her the goodbye that she deserved. I hated myself at that moment, but I could not have looked in her eyes as I left. If that was the last time I saw her, I didn't want it to be of her weeping. I wanted it to be of her silent, beautiful body. Sleeping the most satisfied and deep sleep.

We pulled up to the airport and drove right to the hanger. The driver parked the car and got out and I took a moment to take everything in. Felipe must have picked up on my mind set because he decided that now would be a good time to start with me.

"Northman, let me guess. Making peace with your failed orders? Saying goodbye to that innocent little girl? Remembering the sex you had last night? Oh yes… You reek of sex and fairy. I can't wait to bring my condolences to her personally." He was actually antagonizing me.

"King, are you admitting that I am not to get a fair trial? Are you stating to me in front of witnesses that you already know my fate?" I waited to see his expression. He was a smart man, he did not get to be king by not knowing how to play this game.

"Of course not. I just have faith that everyone will see the truth. You were ordered to do a job, and you failed miserably. That little human you call your wife is my biggest asset, and soon, she will be more than that." He snickered as he scoffed at my accusation. I could feel my hands trying to break free from their shackles. I needed to remove his head from his body for referring to her as something that would soon be his.

"Try it Northman and those will be replaced by silver. Get on the plane and don't say another word." I had no choice. I needed to get there and hope for a fair trial. Maybe there would be someone on the jury that knew that I had protected her, knew that I was willing to give up everything for her. Those were my orders, I lived them everyday.

I stumbled towards the plane, not because it was hard to walk in shackles, but because I could feel her breaking down. I could feel her collapsing under the strain of my leaving her. What if I had just sent her back into that dark place, that place that not even I could get to? What if she would never come back? What if it was her that would not be able to return to me?

I needed to do something that I hoped I would never have to do. I needed to close off our bond so that I couldn't feel her pain, and so she could not feel the possible pain that was to come from me. If I did that, what would happen to her? I wouldn't know. If I closed myself off from her there would be no way for me to know if she was alright? God, fuck, how can I do this? I was unsure what was going to hurt her more, me leaving her the way I did, or me closing her off.

Despair, pain, darkness, she was a mess and I had done it. It was me this time around. Fucking cocksucker, that's all I could think of when I looked at his smug face. I wanted to wipe that grin off his face and show him exactly why she was mine, and only mine. I was seething with hatred. Hatred at him, hatred at myself, hatred at her for forcing me to leave her the way I did.

I let my eyes close, silently wishing I would fall asleep and not have to feel how much pain she was in. I got my wish, when I opened my eyes I was being jerked up by my hair. We were on the ground and I was being led off the plane. I took a very unnecessary breath and looked at Felipe. I swear I saw him wink at me as he pushed me towards my fate.

The minute we were off the plane I knew my shackles were going to be replaced by silver ones. That was protocol, this I knew was unavoidable. Sandy handled the details, she was kind enough to make sure they did not come in contact with my skin. I never closed off the bond. I couldn't bare the fact that I wouldn't know what was happening to her. It was worse for me to not know, than to feel every fucking pain.

I reached out to feel her, to make sure she was alright. I expected to feel her sadness, her despair. Instead all I was getting was anxiety, nervousness, and courage? No, what the fuck? She wouldn't. I specifically told her that she was not to interfere with any of this. She would not go against my wishes when it came to her safety, would she?

She felt closer to me than she should have. I was in Nevada and she should be in Louisiana. Why did she seem closer to me than that? Fuck, she really is going to do something stupid. Why Can't she just fucking listen? Courage, love, nervous….shit. She was on her way here and there was nothing I could do to stop her. All I wanted to do was protect her, save her, shelter her. And in return, she was running right into the fucking lion's den.

TBC…..

The song lyrics in this chapter are from **The Promise** by Tracy Chapman


	20. Chapter 20

**We're back in Sookie's POV…hope everyone is still with me!**

I stretched out and reached for him. He was right, my body hurt all over, but in such a good way. I smiled as my muscles let me know just how much they had been worked. I tried to feel his strong shoulders, but there was nothing. I rolled over to greet him and found nothing but an empty bed.

I sat up, looking around, surely he was in the shower, or maybe getting himself a True Blood from the kitchen? The sinking feeling in my stomach told me that I was terribly wrong. I instinctively knew he was gone. I felt all of the air rush out of my lungs. He left me, he didn't say goodbye.

I spied the folded paper on the pillow and held it to my nose. It still carried his scent, his perfect, original scent. I was too scared to read what was written. My heart was pounding out of my chest. My head was dizzy, he left, he's gone. I began shaking, not from the cold that was taking over my body, but from the fear that was starting.

My trembling hands almost couldn't hold the letter. I was afraid that I would crumple it and not be able to even read what he wrote to me. I took at deep breath through my nose and unfolded the paper, noticing immediately the red stain that was obvious.

"Good, I hope you were upset." I cried out loud, really meaning what I was saying. I touched my fingers to the script on the page, hoping that I would be able to feel his hands through the ink. His beautiful handwriting always had a place in my heart. It was hard to read the words through the tears that were now pooled in my eyes.

I needed to read and read and read. At first I didn't comprehend that he actually left me. The words just didn't make sense, like the entire letter was written in Swedish. The second time through I needed to pick up on the fact that he just wanted to make sure that I didn't cry when he left. The anger seeped through my body, like a felt tip pen staining a piece of silk, slowly, but deeply. The third time I focused on his love, his promise to return.

I crumpled the paper in my hands and threw it across the room. I didn't want it anywhere near me. Just the sight of it was making me sick. The problem was the minute I felt the paper turn into a ball and fly across the room I was chasing it. I leapt off the bed and chased it like a cat. I was so afraid that I had just destroyed the last thing that Eric had ever left me. I unwrinkled the paper and gently tried to smooth out the creases.

I couldn't take it. He left me, asleep. He ran away from me, from our life and he didn't say goodbye. What if I couldn't save him? What if I failed? What if I never got to hold him again, tell him I loved him? I broke down and wept uncontrollably. I couldn't help but feel like he had ripped my heart from my chest. It was too much, too much to handle.

I had given him everything, was willing to do anything for him, and he didn't even say goodbye? My body was a mass of quivering, sobbing, nothingness. I didn't even know how long he had been gone? I looked at the clock, the sun must have only been down for an hour? He must have been up early.

I felt a wave of love come through the bond, knowing that he was trying to calm me down and let me know that he was sorry. I was too angry, to upset to forgive him right now. I made sure he knew just how pissed I was. I hoped he felt every last emotion that I was sending his way. If he only knew what I was willing to do for him.

I was so angry, so upset, so sad. I felt like he just couldn't say goodbye, so he didn't. Of course it would be hard. It wasn't going to be a picnic for me, but I was willing to do it. Why couldn't he? He was supposed to be the big, bad ass vampire?

I called Pam, hoping she was still in Shreveport. I know that Eric was expecting her to be at his trial. Little did they know that I would be making a guest appearance. I was so mad at this point that I think I may have actually grown about an inch with courage.

"Pam! Do you know what your asshole Master has done?" She was slightly amused, but slightly offended by my tone. "I'll call him whatever the hell I want to call him Pam, he's my husband, you got that?" Pam was a little stunned that I was being so bold with her.

"Now listen to me and I don't care if you have a plane to catch. Eric, aka the asshole, left. He's gone and he left me a note. A note Pam! He's already gone to this farce of a vampire trial. He left me here, didn't say goodbye, didn't wake me up, just left. Is he with you, and don't you dare lie to me in order to protect him!" I prayed that Eric was with her and she would put him on the phone so he would know how upset I was.

I got no such information. Instead I was met with a quick response that involved a 'don't move, I'll be right there', and the click of her phone. Apparently Pam was not aware that Eric was gone either. So he didn't want to say goodbye to anyone, although he would at least get to see Pam in Las Vegas.

Ten minutes past and very silently Pam entered the room. She had an open invitation to our house, so it didn't surprise me. She looked at me as I lay on the bed, crying silently, my head on a soggy pillow.

"Let me see the letter." Her eyes were glazed, she did not look her usual amused self. Instead she looked tormented, tired. Her hair was messy, maybe she ran to the house.

"Why Pam? Why would he just leave me? I wouldn't have begged him to stay , or run away. I know that this is something that he has to do. All I wanted was a chance to say goodbye, and he took that away. He just left me, he left me Pam." The tears were unstoppable.

"Sookie, you must know, he would never just leave you. He did this because he felt it was the right thing to do. He was afraid if he said goodbye, that he wouldn't be able to leave. He did this for him, and he knew how badly this would hurt you." Pam's expression changed from tormented to endearing as she quickly read his words.

"Dear One, Eric loves you more than I ever thought possible. You can not let your anger and your sadness get in the way of the fact that he did this because he loves you so much. He will return, he will return to you, and to me. And you need to be able to welcome him back. Sookie, you need to pull yourself together and let this go. It hurts, he did not say goodbye to me either." I watched her as she spoke. She was trying to be hard like her vampire persona needed her to be, but she also was hurt and was feeling betrayed.

I thought about her words. I knew that it must have killed him to walk out and leave me behind. I could feel the emotional state that he was currently in, and it wasn't much better than mine. Was I taking the easy way out, being angry and hurt? Was it easier for me to be mad than deal with the fact that I needed to get my ass moving?

My pity party needed to end, I was not going to turn into _her_ again. There was no way that I was going to let myself get so overwhelmed that I couldn't get myself back to where I needed to be.

"Pam, thank you. I'm sorry that he didn't tell you he was leaving and I'm sorry I yelled at you." I patted her hand, thankful that she was still here to help me.

"Sookie, if you ever yell at me again I will make sure that Eric properly punishes you. Or, that he at least allows me to properly punish you." She winked at me and gave me her very devilish grin. I couldn't help but laugh at her through my blurry eyes.

"Pam, you know that I'm going after him, right? I mean, did y'all really think that I was just gonna sit here while he got dragged off to God knows where?" Seriously, when did I ever listen when someone told me I couldn't so something?

"You wouldn't be the Sookie we all know and love if you did just sit back and wait. What's that plan?" Pam was back to bored and uninterested.

"I can't tell you what the plan is. It would be too dangerous for me, and for you. Just know this, and I mean it. I would do anything to save him. I don't care what might happen, I have already been to hell and I didn't break. If I lose him, if something happens, I will have nothing. I mean, when you think about it, what's left without him? Love, hope, life? All those things are just four letter words." She paused, thinking about what I had just said to her.

"Got a plane ticket yet?" She looked at me through her very narrow, very blue eyes.

"Nope, I'm just going to the airport. I'm going to fly a commercial airline. I don't want to chance some vamp seeing me and maybe reporting back to Felipe. I'm hoping to catch anything, I'll ride on a FedEx plane if I have to." I was serious, I had no qualms about being considered freight.

"Well, if you think you can manage to pull yourself together, I have a flight that I need to catch. And I do not fly FedEx, nor do I fly Coach. So, I suppose I will see you at a later time." She gave me one long, last look to make sure I was alright, and she disappeared.

I showered as quickly as I ever had and got dressed. I packed and made sure to throw in some very cute, very short skirts. I was planning on going for the gusto and needed to be on my best game. I wasn't sure if Eric was going to be tried tonight, or tomorrow. Either way, I was going to be ready.

I don't really remember my drive to the airport. There were so many things running through my mind, most of which were not very pleasant. I could feel that Eric was hurting. At that time it was mostly emotional hurt, it was not coming across the bond as physical pain. At least he wasn't being tortured. Every cloud does have a silver lining.

I got to the ticket counter and made sure to look as pleasant as possible, and not like a psychotic wife on a mission to save her vampire husband from certain vampire death. Shields were up in a major way since airports are just a breeding ground for broadcasting freaks.

"Hey there, when does the next flight to Las Vegas leave?" The woman behind the counter looked like she was on her sixteenth hour on her feet and barely looked at me.

"9:45 Ma'am, and the price is $989.00 US Dollars not including taxes, transfer, fees, or security fee. Would you like to purchase this ticket Ma'am?" She lacked any personality, it was frightening.

"Sure, that'd be great, just great." My crazy smile was plastered on my face as I _heard_ her worrying about the fact that her kids had been home alone without a babysitter since eight that morning. I didn't want to think about that right now. It was about getting to Vegas and getting Eric home.

I bought my ticket without incident and waited, rather impatiently for my boarding call. The plane did not take off for another hour and a half. To me that felt like an eternity, for all I knew Eric could be dead in that amount of time.

I reached out to feel him, to see if I could sense what was happening. I knew that he was angry at Felipe, no…he was pissed. Better angry than dead. I thought about getting to him, I wanted so badly to be there now. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and take him home, away from all of this nonsense. I needed the courage and the strength the take care of Felipe.

If my plan didn't work I would most likely end up dead. It was a safe bet too that my death would not be quick and painless. I was nervous at the idea of failing, but I could not think about that. If I did, I would never be able to get to him. Felipe would see right through me, the minute I walk through that door.

I sat there, waiting, thinking, thinking was not good. I went over every possible scenario in my head, every possible what if. The inside of my head was like a horror movie that kept repeating itself, only adding alternate endings each time around. The voice in my head was telling me to listen for a change and just wait for Eric to come back to me. But, my heart was telling me to run to him. My heart was telling me that it would be broken beyond repair if I couldn't do something to stop this madness. Like always, my heart was going to win out. There's a reason I've gotten so good at blocking the voices in my mind, including my own.

I heard my boarding call and politely handed my ticket the attendant at the gate. I sat down in my seat and tied myself down like I was attaching a piece of furniture to the roof of a car. I hated flying, it just felt better knowing that my seatbelt was so tight that I was losing circulation to my nether regions.

Our takeoff was so smooth that I barely registered that we were airborne. It surprised me that the attendants were already passing out drinks. I thought about a cocktail to take the edge off, but was a little too excited when I saw that they had Dr Pepper. She handed me the plastic cup, filled almost to the edge with soda, and smiled as she nodded her head. It was like she knew I was chasing the impossible.

I looked out the window and stretched, happy there was no other passenger next to me. I sipped my soda and closed my eyes.

"So, I hear that we are going on quite the little adventure!" Shit…Claudine.

"Um, Hi Claudine. What are you talking about? I'm meeting Eric in Las Vegas." Like she wouldn't know I was lying, being my fairy godmother and all.

"Oh please Honey. I could sense the danger all the way in Vermont. Yes, that's right, Vermont. Even we fairy's enjoy the country. Now, please tell me that you are not planning something monumentally stupid." I was almost offended by her accusation.

"Claudine, why would you think I was doing anything stupid? Did it ever occur to you that maybe I was doing something smart? Do you always just assume that I'm going to do something to get myself into trouble?" I gave her a look that let hr know I was not happy.

Just then the pretty flight attendant walked by and looked at Claudine like she had seen a ghost.

"I'm sorry Ma'am, I must have missed you before. The Captain has only had the remove belt sign off for a short amount of time? Are you in the correct seat?" The woman was not happy that she may have missed a passenger. Since the events of so many years ago she makes it her duty to look each passenger in the eye. She wants to connect with the people.

"Well of course I'm in the right seat. You must have missed me Honey." Oops, I was kind of excited to see this.

"I do apologize Ma'am, but I normally don't miss one of my passengers. Do you mind if I see your boarding pass?" I sure hope my cousin had thought if everything.

"My boarding pass? What, do you think I just poofed my way here, right out of thin air. Like I'm some kind of magical fairy? Here, here is my boarding pass." I almost sprayed Dr Pepper out my nose when I heard her ask if she though she poofed herself there through magic. If she only knew?

Claudine produced a boarding pass, much to my delight. I sure did not want to have a show down at 30,000 feet. The flight attendant turned every color red imaginable and apologized about a hundred times. Claudine being the gracious person she is accepted her apology and was nothing but kind to her the rest of the way.

"Seriously Sook, What do you plan on doing? We all know that Eric is in trouble. And yes, everyone knew that you were going to pull a Sookie and go running after him, stakes blazing. I can sense the danger and it was strong enough to send me to you. So, tell me, what is going on?" She took my hand and rubbed it with hers.

"I just want to go and try to talk some sense in to Felipe. I hope that I can offer him my assistance whenever he requires it, for free, if he lets Eric go." I hoped that my lie would convince her to leave me alone.

"Soookie, we both know that is not the truth. I suggest you be a little more honest with me or I will be forced to take drastic measures." She burrowed her brow so I could see that she was serious.

"Fine…..ImgoingtokillFelipeandsaveEric" I let it come out as all one word, as quickly as I possibly could. She just stared at me, blinking.

"I'm sorry, but I believe you just told me that you were going to kill Felipe and save Eric? Was that what I heard? And just how do you plan on doing that dear cousin?" Still blinking, no expression.

"Well, I have a good plan. And trust me when I say this, I can't tell you what it is because you would stop me." She went to interrupt me, "And, it would be very dangerous for you to be around. Claudine, I don't care what you do to me, or what drastic measures you're talking about. I'm not backing down from this. I will not allow my husband to be punished, possibly killed, finally killed, for something that he could not control." Our conversation must have been a little heated because we were starting to get some looks from the fellow passengers.

"You understand that it is my job to offer you my guardianship. I can not be around you if you go charging into a vampire trial. I will not be able to save you Sookie. What if something goes wrong?" She looked sad at the idea of not being able to help.

"It can't, it won't. Besides, Eric is there, and Pam will be there. I can do this. There is no talking me out of this. You might as well just poof yourself right on back to Maine." I waived my hand in the air, like I was shooing her away.

"Vermont" She corrected.

"Whatever". I didn't really care.

She didn't poof herself anywhere. She remained sitting next to me, holding my hand. I could feel Eric through the bond. Anger, sadness, rage, love. He was a mixed bag of emotions. I could feel that he was sorry that he left the way he did. But, I couldn't tell if it was because he truly wanted to say goodbye, or if he was nervous about not ever seeing me again.

I felt panic start to boil in my body. Before I knew what was happening I was immersed in pain and rage. I grabbed my chest and looked at Claudine. It was terrifying and it was suffocating. I couldn't breath. The pain was taking over my body and I was light headed. The cabin of the plane began to grow dark as I gripped Claudine's hand. The tears flowed from my eyes as I battled myself to stay alert and conscious.

I did not win, the last thing I remember seeing was Eric. He was smiling at me, holding me, stroking my hair and my face. He was whispering in my ear that he loved me. I could smell him, I could feel his cool body against mine, but I knew that he was not there. Something was happening, something was wrong. I needed to find him, soon.

TBC….


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N-Back to EPOV….I think that I am going to switch in between Sookie and Eric for the remaining chapters. If it doesn't work for you, please let me know. **

**Again…HUGE thanks to everyone that is enjoying this long ride! (I hope you aren't car sick yet)**

We are going to have to have a very long, very serious, very firm discussion when I get home. Was I really surprised that I could feel her rushing to my supposed rescue? Who the hell am I kidding? The way this fucking situation was playing out I did need some rescuing. The ride to Felipe's compound was torturous. I fucking hate this asshole.

Why couldn't she just fucking listen for once? Did I really think that she was just going to sit back and do nothing? Was it not her courage and her stubbornness that made me love her more?

Despite the situation I was in, I felt myself growing hard thinking about her bravery. I pictured her rushing in through locked doors, killing vampires in her wake, wearing a little leather getup to boot. Fuck me, I was having a damsel in distress fantasy, only I was the fucking pussy damsel that needed rescuing.

I was suddenly likening her to that ridiculous character that I watched at her house while I was cursed, 'Blondie…Blushie… Buffy' Yes, I was picturing my wife as that little vampire slayer, Buffy. I was secretly hoping she would suddenly be able to wow me with some martial arts and sword play. My dick was rock hard and I forgot that I was supposed to be angry with her for not listening to me in the first place.

As quickly as my arousal came, it went. I was met by one of Felipe's fists crashing against my jaw. I heard the growl come from deep inside my body as I coldly looked at him. I certainly would need to be killed, because if I did survive this trial nothing was going to stop me from acting out my revenge on this little prick.

"Northman, stop pining over my future pet. It's written all over your face, not to mention escaping your pants. Do us a favor Viking, make it easier on everyone involved and bow out with some dignity. You are a very respected Sheriff, no one will question your decision. Lets avoid this dog and pony show shall we?" Bow out? Give in, hand him over my entire world without even blinking an eye? I think not.

I ran my tongue over the blood that had trickled down my lip from his blow. I smiled and pretended to consider his offer. Like I was actually weighing my options.

"Your Majesty, with all due respect," I hissed at him and put lethal venom behind each word. "My bonded will never be anyone's pet. Our bond is stronger than the silver that binds me. I will not ever bow out, I will not ever willingly let you take what is mine. She is my wife, she will never go to you. She will never be anyone's but mine. She belongs to me." I could feel my body trying to contort itself, trying to break free of its shackles.

Felipe took a step closer to me, knowing that I was at his mercy. He took a handful of my hair and made sure that I was looking directly at him. I made sure that my gaze showed him that I was not afraid of what he had planned.

"For now Viking. She may be yours, for now. But tell me this, what do you think will happen when she is forced to accept that fact that her Prince Charming is gone. Who do you think will be there to deliver the news to her? Compton? Pam? Perhaps that shifter friend of hers? No, I think that would be such a delicate matter that only the king would be able to deliver such an important message. I can just picture it. Her little face, full of tears and pain, her chest heaving with despair, her heart racing with fear." He paused to see if he was getting a reaction. I didn't move.

"I will offer her my comfort, my protection, my condolences. Did you hear me, my comfort. I will make her forget all about you. You will be nothing but a faint memory. I will see that she doesn't even remember your name." I think that this asshole was trying to tell me that he was going to try and Glamour her. Did he not get the memo that Glamour did not work on her?

"Ah, are you done King? You seem to be forgetting one very simple, but very important detail." He looked at me and motioned for me to continue. "You see, she knows that you are the one that is forcing this trial. She is well aware of the fact that it is you that has called this incredulous show. How do you expect her to react when you go to her, telling her that I have been killed? She will know that it was your hand that caused my final death. Do you not expect her to strike you dead where you stand? She may be human, but do not think too little of her. She will send you to your final death before you will even see the stake coming. Don't believe me? Go ask Compton about his maker. My Sookie certainly put an end to her sorry ass for betraying Bill." I spoke the words proudly, my Sookie.

"Yes, I did hear of her taking care of Lorena. All the more reason for me to take her as my own. She will be like my own personal wall of protection, like my secret weapon. Not only can she read the minds of those around me, but she is willing to kill for that special someone." Bastard. Fucking Bastard.

I weighed his words and tried to think. Did I want to continue this verbal sparring, or did I want to concede this time around? Was I digging myself deeper by allowing his words to eat away at my sanity. All I could see was him leading her around like a puppy. Punishing her, forcing himself on her, touching her, hiding behind her. I tried so hard to focus on getting back to her, but I could feel her getting closer to me.

I didn't want her anywhere near De Castro. The idea of the two of them in the same room together was enough to make me want to turn his bones to dust in my hands.

"That's right, remember that…she is willing to kill." That's that way I left it. If only I could wrap my hands around his fucking throat. I'd show him just how willing I was to kill for her. I would kill anyone, anything that threatened to harm her. He was at the top of my list.

We pulled into his gated residence and directly up to the front of the house. Sandy had been silent the entire time. Never once did she speak. Normally she was very opinionated, but tonight she was utterly speechless. I looked at her and raised an eyebrow, she immediately turned away.

I was being dragged out of the car and into the house. Under normal circumstances, we would be greeted by a number of servants, but tonight there was no one but us and the driver. Apparently the driver doubled as a body guard. He was pretty big, I'd hire him for protection. I was dragged through the impressive house and taken to the back. I had never seen Felipe's house before.

"Inferiority complex Your Majesty?" I chided as we walked through the house.

"What did you just say to me?" What is it Sookie always says, in for a penny in for a pound.

"I said, inferiority complex? You know, making up for you lack of a dick?" I motioned my head around his house, and then back to his crotch. I knew it was stupid, but fuck I hated that man.

"I am going to take such pleasure in fucking your wife. I think that will be more pleasurable than sending you to your final death." He growled his words at me, I had touched on a sore spot.

He reached for something on the table that was nearest to his side. I saw the gleam of the blade and knew that this was going to hurt. I felt the knife pierce the flesh at the top of my thigh. I would not scream, I would not let him know the pain that ripped through my body.

He withdrew the knife and plunged it in again, this time making sure he caught my balls. "Fuck, fucking bastard." My knees gave out as I felt the blood leak from my wound. He gave the knife a good twist that caused my insides to spasm.

"Just remember who's King." He laughed the words as he tore the knife from my body. My hands were bound in front of me and I was trying so hard to reach down and apply pressure to the wound. Felipe saw me struggling, and got a wicked look in his eye.

"Oh, I don't think you'll be needing this any longer." He came at me again, only this time he did something unexpected. He put my finger in his mouth and I actually thought he was going to bite it off. Instead he gripped my wedding ring between his teeth and removed it from my finger.

Never have I felt so naked as when that ring was gone. I watched him shove it in his pocket and I no longer cared about the hole in my balls and my thigh. The only thing I wanted was my ring. I involuntarily convulsed as I watched him take it from me.

I was kneeling on the floor, blood seeping out of my body. I had been stripped of something other than my clothes. I had been stripped of my hope in myself. Each time I would glance down and catch the shine of that ring I would be reminded that she had hope in us. She believed in me, in us, in our love. Never had anyone provided me with…hope. Hope that I would be happy. Hope that I would find someone that would see me for what I truly am. Hope for a future that was uncertain, but somehow welcoming.

I looked at his fucking face, bright with victory. He tapped his fingers against his pocket, letting the metal cling against his own jewelry.

"Felipe, you had better pray that you send me to my final death. If for some miracle I survive this little charade I promise you this. You will not see another night. I will fucking stop at nothing to see that you are killed. Mark my words, it's you or me." I hissed through the pain that was coursing through my body.

Felipe looked at me and suddenly looked frightened. Perhaps he realized that his plan had better work, or he really would end up dead. I watched him raise his arm above his head and swing it down. I felt the blow hit me, that was the last thing I remember.

**SPOV**

When I came to Claudine was leaning over me, fanning me with the airline magazine. I could still feel pain, but it was not near what I had felt moments ago. I was trying to catch my breath, hoping that no one had noticed my little episode.

The attendant, being more than astute was on top of me before I could sit up.

"Do you need a doctor? Are you alright? Can I get you something?" I was now more embarrassed than anything. Before I could open my mouth Claudine was answering for me.

"Oh honey, no worries. My little cousin here is expecting and sometimes she gets a little lightheaded. It's nothing, just queasy. Maybe some ice water would help her." My cheeks flushed when I heard her tell that stranger that I was pregnant.

"Claudine, why would you say that? You and I both know that I am not pregnant." I was furious.

"Well of course your not. But, no one here knows that. Besides, if they think you're pregnant they'll leave you alone. Pregnant women faint all the time. Trust me, it was the best excuse." She was graciously accepting my water and the attendant gave me a very excited, very warm smile. OK, maybe Claudine was right.

"Claudine, I need to get to Eric now. Something bad is happening and I can feel it. That's what caused me to faint, the pain. I need to get to him, I need to help him." I could feel myself getting all worked up again and needed to take a sip of my water to calm myself down.

"Relax, the last thing either one of you needs is to be sending each other pain and panic through this bond. We'll be on the ground in less than fifteen minutes. I can't just pop us on out of here, too many witnesses and too much commotion." She was right. I looked at my watch and wished the plane would fly faster.

When we landed I looked at my cousin and knew that she could only take me so far. I could not ask her to follow me into something that could mean her certain death. Yes, she could mask her scent, but everyone knew what she was. I was pretty hard to disguise the fact that you are a pure blood fairy from a room full of vampires.

I had no idea where Felipe's residence was, but I knew that I could feel Eric. I hated what I was feeling. At that moment, it was only a painful hum. He wasn't flipping through emotions like earlier, it was like he was sleeping, or unconscious. Yes, he was knocked out. That explained the pain, but only a hum.

"Claudine, can you help fix me up? Make me look irresistible?" Now or never. I couldn't run to Felipe's and then excuse my self to go to the powder room.

"Sure, I'm assuming this has to do with your big secret plan?" She giggled at little at my request.

"Yes, it has everything to do with it. Claudine, please do me a favor. If something happens to me, and I don't get back home, make sure that Jason is ok. Just keep an eye on him, you know, from a distance. And, let Niall know that I appreciate what he has done for me." I spoke softly, not wanting to think about not coming home.

"Does Niall know anything about me going after Eric?" Dumb question.

"Yes, but I convinced him to let me come. I know that your heritage is still not common knowledge, we would like to keep it that way as long as possible." It made sense, don't pull the Fairy Prince card until absolutely necessary.

Claudine pulled me into the airport bathroom and fixed my hair and makeup. She riffled through my bag and before I knew it, I was transformed into a very non-prostitute looking sex kitten. She had me in a short black skirt, and light blue, sleeveless button down blouse. She tied the blouse at my waist, making a tiny knot. Despite my recent weight loss, it still looked pretty good. To finish the look she pulled out my favorite pair of black, strappy heels.

As best as she could in an airport bathroom, she managed to make my hair look positively ravishing. It had that tousled, slightly messy look that I knew Eric loved. I had taken Eric's blood last night, so my hair was unusually shiny, soft, and super pale.

I gave myself a look and hugged her appreciatively. I felt ready to unload everything on to her. I needed her opinion, even though I knew she would not approve.

"Thank you, really, thank you. I need to get to him Claudine. He's everything to me, and I just can't be without him. If something were to ever happen to him I would be lost. I know that you are going to think I'm stupid, but I'm going to entrap Felipe." Claudine's eyes widened as she waited for me to continue.

"I have some fairy blood, pure fairy blood. I'm going to put some on my body, and in my body. But, I was smart enough to also get that masking stuff that you guys use to cover your scent up too. I'm going to entice Felipe into attacking me, in front of witnesses. If he goes after me, I'm well within my rights to fight back, and that's when I plan on killing him. All I have to do is figure out how to do all of this without getting caught." It felt good to hear my plan out loud. I was nervous and riddled with anxiety as I waited for some type of reaction from Claudine.

Time passes and I could here the seconds actually ticking on my watch, damn enhanced hearing. She blankly watched me, I was becoming uncomfortable.

"You are a stupid fool Sookie." I felt my body tense and ran from the bathroom, my husband needed me. I called Pam to see where she was. Luckily she answered and let me know that she too was in the airport, with Bill. Lovely, now everyone would get to see me either fail miserably, or rescue my love. I rushed to the Anubis gate and waited.

I spotted them and rushed to greet them. To my surprise, I was met with hugs, by both of them.

"Pam, something is wrong and I need to find him. The pain was awful, terrible…"She held her hand up to stop me.

"I know Sookie, I was able to feel it too. We will see him soon, don't worry, Felipe will keep him alive. He has survived much worse." How could she be so calm?

"She's right Sookie, Eric will be fine. Felipe doesn't have a leg to stand on. I'm sure that we can convince the jury that Eric was following orders at all times." Even though it was bad timing, I had to laugh.

"What, do y'all have like jury duty? Some vampire jury pool where you only have to serve your king every so many years?" I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"Something like that." Pam scoffed at my deliberate mocking of the system.

We made our way to the car and I decided that I would drive over with them, but they would let me out of the car before they arrived at Felipe's. Didn't want to make it look like I was riding in on their coat tails. I was a ball of nerves, completely a mess.

I could feel Eric, he was in so much pain. He was angry and he was fighting. I wanted to get to him, hold him, die with him if that was what was needed. I pushed as much love to him as I could, and I knew he felt it because I felt a momentary calmness fall over him. I also felt his fear for me, he was upset with me, scared for me. He knew I was close by and I'm pretty sure he knew that I planned on trying to save him.

I fidgeted in the backseat and mindlessly tapped my foot. I tried to think about getting the blood on to my body, but protecting myself from other vampires. There was only one vampire I wanted to attract, and right now it wasn't even my husband. I looked at my bag and knew that I couldn't take the vials out and open them in front of Pam and Bill. As much as I trusted them, they were still vampires.

We pulled down a very affluent street. This was my cue to hop out, making sure to get the address first. I took a deep breath and looked at my friends. I knew that this was going to be difficult, I knew that I may never get a chance to speak to them again. I really had no idea what to expect when I walked into that trial. For all I knew I could be killed instantly for even being there. I smiled at them, happy for everything they had done for me, done for Eric.

"Pam, Bill…Thank You, for everything." I didn't need to say anything else, the look on my face and the emotion behind my words was enough to let them know what I was saying.

"This is no time for goodbyes, Sookie." Bill spoke up.

Before I could let them see me cry I was out of the car and walking away. I needed to clear my head a little before I walked in this mess. I threw out a mental net and tried to pick up what was around me. Lot's of voids, lot's of vampires. My body shivered as I took the vial from my bag, along with a bottle of spring water. I took a big sip of the water and poured the masking scent in, swirled it around, and replaced the cap. Then, I opened the vial of blood that I had tested, closed my eyes, and drank it down.

No turning back, the fairy blood was working its way through my body. I paced back and forth, feeling the pain Eric was experiencing. Pain, physical, torturous pain. It was hard to breath, I felt the tears form in my eyes as I tried to fight off the emotions. I felt my hands ball into fists and I was ready to pummel anyone that came across my path.

I had been pacing for over a half an hour. I didn't want to make it look like I was arriving with Pam and Bill and get them in trouble. But, I knew that the longer I waited, the more pain Eric would be in. Finally, I walked towards the house. His mansion was enormous, impressive, obnoxious.

"Overcompensating?" I thought out loud.

I walked up to the gate and was stopped cold by armed guards. These were not polite looking fellows. I didn't think that I was smelling like fairy yet, but I was suddenly terrified. My mind flashed back to my captor, his body on top of mine. I needed to shake it off.

"H…H-ello, I'm here to see Felipe De Castro." My voice was noticeably shaky.

"Well aren't you sweet? Felipe is not expecting any, human guests this evening. I'm sure he would have mentioned such a delicious looking treat." My stomach lurched.

"Please, would you let him know that Sookie is here. I'm sure that he will see me." I steadied my voice and made it sound believable. I was met with a curious stare, almost quizzical.

The bigger of the two vamps picked up a walkie-talkie looking thing and chirped into it.

"Yeah, this is Bogie 1. Can you tell his highness that there is a Sookie looking to meet with him." He chirped a button again and there was minutes of silence.

"Bogie 1 this is Duke 8, orders are to escort her right into the grand hall." OK, Bogie 1 and Duke 8? Who are these guys? They are security guards…rent-a-cops. I felt a rush of relief, victory, and pure panic as he took my arm and led me towards my possible doom.

Eric, I could feel Eric's panic grow as he knew I was getting closer. Felipe must have told him I was there. He was losing control, he was fighting and I could feel him start to come undone. My body felt like it was going to be sick. I was suddenly rethinking my plan. Pain, panic, fear, love, sadness, courage, love, love…suddenly there was nothing but love coming off of Eric.

The guard leered down at me as he stopped at a set of huge, double doors. There was nothing but voids all around me, no Supes, no humans, only vampires. I bent down and whispered in my ear.

"If I had known the king was ordering such a sweet dessert, I would have waited to have my dinner." He licked his lips and gave my ass a squeeze. I stood frozen in place, paralyzed by fear. Before I had a chance to think any longer the doors were thrust open.

My eyes scanned the room, all eyes turned my way. Some of the faces I knew, most I didn't. I sought out Eric, my eyes darted to find him. At the right hand corner of the room, I saw him. His eyes were boring into me. He looked like he had been beaten, the sight of him made my own body ache. He was covered in blood, he was tied to a chair with silver chains, the smell of burning flesh filled my nose. To my horror, I saw what I believed to be swords protruding from his flesh. He was impaled on that chair, not just tied down to it.

His eyes were filled with fear, but not fear for himself, fear for me. I tried to let him know that I was going to be alright, but I couldn't even convince myself of that. His eyes were not their usual sparkling blue, they were storm gray, I could see that from across this huge room. I wanted to run to him and heal him. He shook his head at me in warning, telling me to stay away.

"Ah, Mrs. Northman, I was wondering if we were going to be graced with your appearance this evening. It is always a pleasure to see you." He bowed to me. I wanted to kick him in the teeth.

He had gone all out for this event, usual cape, beautiful silk shirt, tuxedo pants, sash going across his chest. He looked like the royalty he was. I looked him over and nodded in return.

"King, always a pleasure." My teeth hurt from clenching. "I was hoping that we could speak about this trial of yours. After all, it's not protecting me that you are charging my husband with." I tried to be hospitable.

"How I wish there was another way Dear One." I wanted to vomit when I heard him call me that. Eric and only Eric had that right. "Unfortunately, your husband has allowed you to be severely hurt on more than one occasion. It was his sworn duty to protect you, he failed." I could feel Eric flinch as he heard the words.

Now or never, now or never. I calmed myself and sent the biggest burst of love to Eric that I could. I leaned into Felipe and whispered in his ear. The crowd drew a collective and very unnecessary gasp. Felipe's face grew wide and he smiled at me, looked back at Eric and winked.

TBC………..


	22. Chapter 22

**EPOV**

I knew the minute she was in the air, I knew the minute she was in Nevada. I was a number of things, angry, fearful, apprehensive, relieved. I told her not to interfere, but I always knew that she never listened to what I said. Felipe was more determined than I thought about pursuing these trumped up charges.

Not only was he planning on trying to claim her as his, but he wanted me to know about it too. I'm not sure what was worse, the idea of him touching her and taking her, or the physical pain and torture that he was putting my body through. When I first felt the knife slide into my flesh I knew that she would feel the pain. I didn't have enough time to prepare myself in order to block some of the pain she would feel. I couldn't even imagine what her body went through when she felt that.

I remember Felipe knocking me out, the pain was excruciating. I was torn between wanting to keep myself alert and able to fend off his attacks, and drifting away and praying to see her face as I slept. I was afraid. In my 1000 years I had muttered those words very few times. But I was steadfast in my fear, I was afraid, afraid to lose her. I was not afraid of the pain, not afraid of the possible death. I was scared of fucking never seeing her again. Never touching her, never kissing her, but even more than that, never hearing her tell me that she loved me. I never realized just how much those words had changed me.

I was a vampire. I killed for sport, I killed to survive. I did awful things, I did great things. But, through the evil and angelic, good and bad, I never once thought that I deserved to be loved by someone like her. There were things that were always expected when you were a powerful vampire, and one as old as me. All of the people that have crossed my path, human and other wise have all been the same, offered the same sentiments.

She was so different, in every way. She was mine, and I was hers. Now I was being forced to accept that fact that I could lose her to my King. If this was my fate I was surely being punished for my sins. If I was to meet my final death tonight, what was to become of her? Would she end up a victim again? Would she be strong enough to survive again? What if she couldn't? What if she just wasn't strong enough?

I awoke in a room that I can only assume was a holding room. I had healed from where Felipe had stabbed me, but my head felt heavy from the blow that I had taken. I looked around and felt for her. She was closer than ever. I wanted to try and push the feeling of fear through her, I didn't want her coming here, but I knew it was useless.

I sensed Felipe coming and knew that the trial was approaching. I could also sense that Pam was on her way. I would try and have one of our silent conversations with her when I saw her. Try and figure out if she had spoken to Sookie. I heard the door creak open and watched Felipe appear through in the doorway.

Fuck, can this man be more of a cliché. Tuxedo pants, silk blouse style shirt, crimson, satin lined cape. He looked like he came off the rack of a Halloween costume store. Really, he just looked…pitiful. I shook my head in disgust when I saw him. I felt my blood curdle with hatred as I stared him down. Never have shown such contempt for one of my leaders, my king, my enemy.

"Northman, have a nice nap? The time is upon us. It is time to send you to your certain final death. I have waited such a long time, thought about this for so many nights. Now, the time has arrived." I laughed at words.

"Nice to hear that your nights are filled with thoughts of me. I always knew that you had a special place in your heart for me. Tell me, did it make it harder for you to fuck all of your harems while thinking about me? Did you have to explain to them that you couldn't properly satisfy them because you were too busy thinking about a real man?" I grinned at him, letting him know that I was not about to back down.

"Oh, I never leave anyone unsatisfied. Your pretty little wife will know that all too soon." His fist cracked my jaw and I never released my smile.

"Is that all you've got? Afraid to unbind me? Too much of a pussy to fight fair? You will pay dearly for all of the impure thoughts and threats that you have had and made against my bonded. I dare you to release me. Let's see just how much of a king you really are, you fucking pitiful excuse for a leader. I've wanted you dead since I first laid eyes on you." I hoped that my words would spur him into releasing my arms.

Instead I was wrapped in a silver chain. The metal burned into my flesh and I screamed as I could smell the wisps of skin float into my nostrils. I was thrown into a chair and the chain was wrapped around the wood. I was unable to move, unable to free myself.

"Sandy, bring me my weapons!" He yelled out the door and into the adjoining room. Sandy was quick to bring him what appeared to be a large bag. I knew this was going to be unpleasant, but I could take it. He pulled out the first weapon. It was larger than a knife, but not quite as large as a sword.

Without warning, and at vampire speed he ran it through my chest. I felt it break the ribs that blocked the blade. The blade lodged itself in the wooden chair in back of me. He repeated this motion three other times, successfully pinning me.

"Try to escape that. I hate you, you have been nothing but a nuisance since I took over your Queen's state. The only reason I have kept you around is because of your profitability. Oh, and because of that little blond. I never believed all of the stories of her bravery, her beauty, your bond. But since I have seen her and seen her devotion to you first hand, I have become soft to her. She will be mine, and its your own fault that you couldn't follow simple orders. You did this. You caused this. Her future is all because of you." He looked at me and smiled. He walked out of the room leaving me alone.

I couldn't move and the blood that was flowing from my body was making me weak. All I could do was think about his last words. That was my biggest fear, that this really was my fault. Everything that had happened to her really was because I couldn't save her, help her, protect her. I closed my eyes and waited. It would not be long now.

I was brought into the Grand Hall by several handlers. I saw Pam and she winced when she saw my condition, she apparently had expected the king to be a little more hospitable. I managed a slight smile to try and ease her nerves. I glanced around the room and saw many faces that I knew. There were several of my subjects, and several of other area Sheriff's. Compton was sitting next to Pam and for a moment I thought I saw a glimmer of satisfaction escape his face. I looked intently at Pam and focused on her mind. She knew that I needed to speak to her.

"Sookie is here. Felipe plans on killing me and claiming her. She can't be here, she must be kept safe." I pushed my thoughts into her mind.

"I know, I have seen her. She is planning on trying to save you. She is planning on coming here. I will do whatever I can to protect her Master." I heard Pam's thoughts as she projected them back to me. She was sullen and serious, knowing that this may very well be the end. We had survived so much, and I knew I could always count on her to stand by me, just as I would stand by her.

I was placed in the corner of the room and all eyes were on me as Felipe began his grandstanding. His gestures were dramatic, his words were theatrical. He pointed out that I had been a failure in both my duties as Sheriff and as formal protection to Sookie. He never once referred to her as my bonded or my wife. In fact, her referred to her the entire time as Sookie Stackhouse, or the human telepath.

Pam was called to say a few words and to answer questions about her involvement in her attack last May. Leave it to my child to get to the point. The first thing she pointed out was that my Bonded was the target of a large, well orchestrated, takeover plot by the now dead Victor Madden. She may have used the word Bonded about one hundred times.

This seemed to annoy Felipe as each time she said the word, he trumped her by stating ,'Yes, the human telepath'. She also pointed out that Felipe was there when Victor was killed, by Eric, for revenge on the attack on his Bonded, and that he was cleared of the charges, as it was a fair kill.

Felipe acknowledged this and simply moved on to the most recent attack on my wife. Pam was finished and she gave me a very satisfied smile, feeling proud of her answers. I was proud of her too.

I wanted to fucking kill him, and everyone in that room that was doubting my ability to protect her. I was willing to fight anything that came across her with the intention of doing her harm. She was close, I could feel her. Fucking wonderful. I was happy, but again, my dick was stirring as I thought back to my earlier fantasy.

I watched a guard come over and whisper something to Felipe as he was speaking and his face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. From the feeling that was coursing through my body, I knew what was happening. Sookie was here, and she was asking to see him. I was suddenly riddled with fear for her. Everything he told me he was going to do to her I was picturing.

I wanted to scream and tell her to run, but I knew that it would do no good. I needed to just accept the fact that my wife just didn't listen. Never had and never will. I felt a warmth wash over me. I let myself think a very dark, very terrible thought. If I was going to my final death tonight, she was going to be here with me. And, possibly, depending on what happened around me, she might meet her death tonight also. We would be together, somewhere. I pushed love through the fear.

Felipe walked over to where I was seated and leaned over to me.

"Seems your wife wants to speak to me. I wonder what this is all about? Perhaps I can convince her that I am a good man, a strong man. Perhaps I will get to have her sooner than I thought." He patted my shoulder and waited for her to enter. A growl escaped from my body.

I stared at her. I could feel her frantically searching me out. It felt like I was burning holes into her body with my eyes. She looked like an angel, beautiful, innocent. She did not belong in a place like this. She spotted me and I could feel her sadness, fear, pain. I wanted to try and tell her not to worry, but I just couldn't. She needed my courage, and I needed hers. Whatever she was doing, I needed her to be strong. I was so fucking scared for her in that moment. She was walking towards a true monster. She was walking towards the devil himself.

I wanted to scream when she actually bowed to him. She never bows to anyone? What the fuck is she doing? Never have I seen her do something so unlike herself. She always gives me a hard time when I tell her bowing is a required show of fealty in our world. I get the typical response of her being a strong, southern, American woman that bows to no one. God I fucking love her.

I watch as they share pleasantries. She looks scared but determined. I have seen that look before, this is not good. I shoot a glance towards Pam, putting her on alert. She and Bill are already waiting to make a move if needed.

I hear Felipe refer to her as Dear One and I growl, causing her to shake a little. I know that hearing that out of his mouth has probably made her sick. Only I can call her that. She is mine, she is my Dear One. I watch her lean into him and whisper in his ear.

What is she doing? Why is touching him? What the fuck is going on? Victor turn to look at me, and as expected, he winks. I see him motion to her with his hand, showing her to a door. He puts his hand on her lower back, my back.

"No! No! Sookie, No!" My scream echoed throughout the Grand Hall. It boomed off the walls. It was like a battle cry when it escaped my throat. She stopped dead in her tracks and whispered something else to Felipe. Her face met mine, her eyes locked with mine.

**SPOV**

"No! No! Sookie, No!" Hearing his scream broke my heart. He didn't know what I was doing. He looked like hell and he had been tortured. I needed to give him some type of hope.

"Your Majesty, please, would you allow me one moment to tell my husband that I will be back. I promise, I will mention nothing of what we just discussed, in fact, you may send someone with me if you wish." I touched his hand, hoping he would not call my bluff.

"Certainly Dear One. Please make it quick. I have a room full of guests that wish to see this trial through. Hurry now." I turned and met his eyes, locking on his tired, grey pools. I slowly made my way to him, never taking my eyes away from his.

When I finally reached him I was surprised to see just how badly he was injured. I lightly touched his hand, and he closed his eyes when he felt my touch. His eyes were stained pink, this was too much for him to take.

"Eric, do you trust me?" I looked at him. He nodded, barely.

"I will do whatever it takes to save you, but you must do something for me. When I get back over to him, right before we go through that door, scream that you want witnesses. Do you understand me, scream that you want witnesses present." I waited to see if he could understand me. He gave me a look, a look that told me he knew what I was saying.

He leaned in to me and rested his head on my shoulder, tired from the pain and the torture. I knew instantly that he caught the scent of fairy that was on my skin. He began to shake his head furiously. Anger flashed in his eyes, fear was sent to me. I stepped away from him and just looked at his eyes. I hoped that he was able to remember that I needed to get me that protection.

I rejoined Felipe and smiled softly at him, causing my stomach to churn.

"What did you say to him Miss Stackhouse?" I let the name thing slip.

"I told him that I wanted to make you an offer and hopefully get us home to our life." Felipe looked at me, unsure if he should believe me or not. He smelled me, shit, he smelled the fairy. I felt his hand on my back again and I knew he was straining to wait until we were out of the view of people.

He gave me a rough push towards the door. I closed my eyes, praying I would hear my husband. I was almost out of sight, feeling the tears start to form in my eyes.

"No! Wait, she is my wife! She is my Bonded! If you are to meet with her and discuss me privately there are to be witnesses. I demand that there be witnesses present." His voice was extreme, frightening. I felt my body let out a sigh of relief.

"Northman, you make no demands in my palace. You are a prisoner, you have no rights." Felipe sounded like he could have killed him just with his words.

"I may be a prisoner for this ridiculous trial, but I am still Sheriff, and I still have some authority. I am well within my right to request witnesses be present when my bonded is involved. Read her contract King, the contract you took over after the Queens death." The contract, that's right. Whenever there were negotiations that involved me, the terms could be set by Eric. God, he was thinking now.

I felt Felipe tense, he was getting irritated at this situation, plus he had a slight sniff of the blood.

"Fine, but I get to use my people. Sandy, you and three others, lets go! Suitable to you, my Dear?" I looked around and tested the waters.

"Actually, if it's alright with you, I was hoping that one of Eric's people could be there too. I guess that's only fair, since he technically holds the strings when it comes to my contract. But, I'll let you chose who that gets to be." I winked at him.

I knew he wouldn't pick Pam because she was Eric's second. I was banking on the fact the he would tell Bill to be a witness. I could only imagine that he planned on putting on quite a show, and why not prove to an ex boyfriend just why you're the king.

He glanced around the room and to my surprise, actually chose Pam. I looked at him with curiosity.

"Why Pam?" I wasn't sure why I was asking.

"Because whatever we discuss, whatever happens, Eric will be able to feel through her, and I want him to feel everything." He sneered at me. He was losing his soft, gentlemanly way with me. My heart sank. He was right, Pam and Eric did share that connection.

He shoved me through the door and we entered a parlor area. Four vampires were scattered throughout the room, watching us. I took a seat on a couch and Felipe quickly seated himself next to me. I looked at Pam and she seemed very uneasy.

"Now tell me Dear One, what kind of bargain did you have in mind." I played with the knot in my blouse, fidgeting because I was nervous.

"King, you are trying to harm Eric for something that he had no control over. You are trying him for not protecting me, but he wasn't able to protect me during the day. None of this was his fault. I will do whatever it takes to save him." I forced my eyes to look at him. He was busy smelling my skin to even look at me. His eyes were becoming glazed as he did this. I was scared, I was afraid that the other vampires in the room were going to catch my scent. I would not be able to protect myself, and not even Pam would be able to pull herself out of the fairy induced trance.

"Whatever it takes? That is quite an offer. Just what does that entail." His hand came up and rested on my knee, he brushed the hair back from my neck and exposed the flesh. I shivered as I felt his nose drag across my skin. I could feel the tears in my eyes as I tries to fight back memories of other unwanted touches.

"Please, King, can't we talk about this? I'm sure that we can come to some type of understanding about my contract, or perhaps another detail. Is this really how you want our negotiation to proceed?" I tired to brush his hand from my knee, but it tightened around my thigh.

I let out a gasp and my heart started to pound, turning him on further. Pam was restless behind me and I knew that she was not happy. I could feel Eric, he was terrified, he was getting all sorts of thoughts from Pam. She was trying to remain calm, but she was failing.

"Felipe, please, my husband is one room away. You have tortured him and you are planning on punishing him for something that he did not do. How can you expect me to want to do this, especially with all of these people around." I let him see the worry. I wanted him to think that I was a scared child.

"Sookie, relax, I will make you forget that your husband is here." He took my finger and he bit it, and I let out a surprising yelp. Shit, I was hoping to put off the blood this as long as possible. He sucked the tiny wound and I literally watched his eyes turn from lustful to crazed.

"Dear One, you have Fairy in you." He was pawing at my body, raking his hands across my skin.

"Please, stop. Felipe, Felipe, please. I don't want to do this. I want to talk about Eric, I want to save him. Please, stop touching me." I knew I needed to put on quite a show for all of these witnesses. I knew this would be his exact reaction once he got a taste of my blood. I reached for my bag, knowing that I had the masking scent in the bottle.

He grabbed me as I reached, kicking my bag out of reach. The scent on my blood was soon going to reach the other vampires in the room.

"Felipe, please. Give me a minute. All I want is a drink of water. I have not been feeling well, you saw me the other night. Just let me have something to drink. Then we will do what ever you want." I pleaded with him.

"How do I know there isn't a weapon in your bag? Come here, I need you." He was persistent.

"You can hand it to me. Or have someone else give it to me. I would never bring a weapon into a vampires home." He finally got a hold on me, a good grip and brought me to his lips. I gagged on the taste of his mouth. I wanted to bite him, rip his tongue out of his mouth. I began crying, this was not going well.

"Please, please." I begged him to release me. I looked over at Pam and she was getting that very glazed look on her face. The smell had reached them, I was in trouble. I needed to get the mask. I let Felipe kiss me this time and I reached for my bag. I got it, and looked at him.

"Please, all I want is some water to help clear my head." I took the water out and everyone jumped, ready to attack me in case it was a weapon. I drank it down, relieved I was able to get my hands on it. I shot Pam a look, letting her know that I needed her to back off.

"Sookie, you are delicious, get over here." He was truly drunk with fairy, and drunk with power. All of the vampire witnesses watched with their fangs down as he stalked me.

"Please, I just want to talk about this. Don't hurt me, you are supposed to be in charge of protecting me." I put the couch in between us, but he vaulted it and pinned me to the floor.

I began kicking and screaming. I was not going to be taken again. I pinched his ear and I did not do it lovingly. He looked down at me and he slapped me. The vampires in the room became very concerned, but none of then had enough nerve to speak up against their King. I shook my head at Pam, letting her know to stay back.

"Why, why are you doing this? I am under your protection, but you are hurting me. You are hurting me by hurting my husband. Please, let me go. Let Eric go. This isn't his fault." When he heard me say Eric's name he growled and he bit my shoulder. I screamed in pain. He was nothing like Eric. He was evil, he was trying to hurt me. He took another mouthful of the laced blood and he became more frenzied.

He began ripping at his clothes, undressing himself. I was praying that I had enough courage to see this through. I actually did have a weapon in my bag, a small silver dagger. I looked around the room, in our tousle the bag was pushed across the room.

"Felipe, no. You don't want to do this. You don't want to do this to me. This is exactly the reason that Eric is sitting out there. Because someone kidnapped me and did awful things to me. Please, please, don't." I heard the loud clang of metal. He had a sword under all of his formal wear.

He was removing everything, as quickly as he could, and all of these witnesses were just watching.

"Please, don't let him do this. Please…Sandy. Make him stop." She looked at me and I thought I saw pity.

"Dear One, do not beg for help, it is very unbecoming. No one here is going to save you. Pam, she will have no choice but to follow my orders once her Master is gone. I am going to make you forget about him. You will be mine." I was screaming.

"Please, no. Please stop. I am his. If you do this you are guilty of not protecting me. Please, No!" He covered my mouth with his hand and I almost threw up as the memories flooded my mind.

"Dear One, I know all to well of you time in captivity. Mark Oliver was more than willing to accommodate my requests. Do you really think you were chosen at random? Come now, it took some time, but I knew of his work in Monroe. Knew he preferred blonds. It was an easy set up. With your Viking out of the way, you are mine." He bit into me again and I could feel my fear replaced with anger.

He set Eric up. He took everything from me? He took my entire world and he destroyed it. He had me kidnapped and he had me rapped repeatedly. He changed my life, he changed me. I will never be the same and it was all because of this asshole. I became enraged and the same thing that snapped in me the night I escaped emerged again. I grabbed a fistful of his hair and I screamed as loudly as I could in his ear.

"You bastard. You did this to me. You hired him to kidnap me and rape me? You set Eric up? For what? I hate you, I fucking hate you! I was tortured. He did things to me that not even you have done to others!" I was screaming like a lunatic.

My legs were flailing as I tried to remove myself from under him. My face hurt from the slap earlier, but I was so hyped up. I was clawing at his face, scratching at his eyes. I had lost all control knowing that he was responsible for turning my entire world upside down.

He was still intoxicated and he was laughing as I tried to break free. Pam moved in my direction to try and help me. Hearing his confession made her just as angry as me. Sandy put her hand up and went to stop her. Pam looked at her in a challenging way.

Felipe was now trying to work his hands under my skirt, trying to pry my legs apart. I was crazed with movement, not allowing him to gain access. I kept repeating that he had done everything, set Eric up, planned my attack.

Finally Sandy moved, but not in the way I was expecting. She moved away from Pam and grabbed my arm. She yanked me to my feet and gave me an evil look. I thought she was going to kill me. Instead she handed me the sword that had be strapped to Felipe's back earlier. I looked from her to Pam, making sure this was really happening. Felipe was laughing. Drunk, irrational, unintentionally confessing to his crimes.

"Dear One, come… I need to feed from your delicious body. I need to make you forget all about that Viking. I need to fuck you all night." I felt his hand grab my head and I swung around.

"Do not ever call me that. My husband is the only man that will ever have the right to call me that. I am his, and don't you ever forget it you asshole." I winked at him and I swung his sword with all my might. I watched as his face saw the blade come at him. He was too inebriated to duck, and the blade swiftly separated his head from his shoulders.

I dropped the sword and collapsed in to a heap of tears on the floor. He did this to me. He was just as responsible as the person that actually physically harmed me. I watched his body start to disintegrate and I felt nothing but release. Pam sat beside me and actually wrapped her arms around me and rocked me.

"Mrs. Northman, I will see that your husband is released." That is all Sandy said to me as she exited the room. I cried for my husband, I cried for my old life, I cried for myself. All I wanted to do was go home and be alone with him.

TBC….


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N- Thanks again to everyone that reviewed the last chapter! I am so happy that you are enjoying the go between of the SPOV and the EPOV. Now that Felipe has met his final end, lets get these two home.**

**Also, I want to say thank you to a very good set of eyes. Ch 22 had a terrible error and shame on me! Just before we switch to SPOV, I wrote that "Victor" turned and winked at Eric. That definitely should have read "Felipe". We all know Victor is dead.**

**EPOV-**

I felt like my world was collapsing in on me when I watched her disappear behind that door with him. He was touching her, he was putting his hands on what belonged to me. I could feel just how scared she was, but I had to respect what she was doing. Never, never had I known a human to be as brave and as strong headed as her. She made my undead heart ache.

I knew exactly why she wanted witnesses present, it was her only form of protection. She knew that if there were vampires that were surrounding her, at least she would not be killed. Seriously hurt, possibly even maimed, but not killed. I was proud of her when she stood up for herself and asked for a witness that was a delegate of my Area come also. Although, the cute little smile she gave him made me want to slap her behind.

I inhaled the fairy blood when I let my head fall on her shoulder and I immediately knew what she was doing. I was so completely pissed off. She was offering herself up like she was the main course at a vampire buffet. She knew damn well how fucking stupid that was. I was livid, if I could have moved I would have grabbed her and ran, punishment be damned. I would have taken a stake through the back in order to get her out of there.

I felt my head shaking uncontrollably. All she did was take a step back and look away. I knew there was nothing I could do to stop her. And then she was gone. The room grew quiet as everyone turned their eyes towards me. Most of them thinking about what my wife was willing to do to barter for my release. Other's thinking about how much pain I must be in, sitting there, bound in silver, swords run through my body. All I could do was look at them, challenging them to speak to me.

I would not let them see that I was distressed, afraid that my wife was going to be hurt, mentally and physically. All I could do was wait. Wait and be still. Bill approached me, but he was quickly stopped by one of the guards. All he was able to do was sit next to me. It appreciated the sentiment of not wanting me to be alone. I suppose that I will forget the momentary look of satisfaction that I thought I saw on his face.

When Felipe told Pam that she was to be a witness I knew the reasoning. She and I have a connection. It is much along the lines of the blood bond Sookie and I share, only different. We can communicate through our minds, where Sookie and I can communicate out feelings. Pam and I still have the ability to feel each other, when hurt, distressed, in need, but not in the way Sookie and I share. I knew that Felipe wanted her to be present because she would not be able to shut down her mind enough to not share what was happening to my love.

It was a sickening feeling to know that I was not only going to feel the emotions that were flowing from Sookie, but I was also going to be hearing what Pam was thinking, what she was seeing, what she was feeling. It took only minutes before I felt the first wave of her fear hit me. It was not fear that was incapacitating her, but it was fear nonetheless.

From what I was getting from Pam, it was because he was touching her. I looked at Compton and silently told him that things were not good. He knew immediately what I meant, and he left my side in order to go to her. Again, he was stopped by one of the many guards. We were helpless to get to her. I could only pray that she would be taken care of.

Pam was unsteady, uneasy, I would even venture to say scared. I could tell that she was trying to get a grasp on how she was experiencing the situation, but she was failing. Finally, all I got from her was a "I'm sorry Master". What the fuck was she sorry for? Her ping ponging thoughts? Her inability to calm her fucking nerves? All I could feel was a new kind of fear filtering through Sookie. The room was still silent, all eyes on me.

Suddenly I heard her scream. It turned my already cold blood to ice. She was in pain and she was terrified. I could feel the regret, the fear, the sadness rush through her body. I tried everything to break free from by hold, but the hold was too great. Bill was wrestling with the guards trying to get to the door, he was swiftly shackled as well. I had a feeling that Felipe was feeding from her, I felt a wave of weakness come crashing through her body. It physically hurt me to not get to her.

I tried to send her as much courage and strength as I could muster. It must have worked because I was able to feel calm. She was feeling in control of the situation, even though I knew that the tables could turn again at any moment. Pam was still unnerved, but for some reason, I was getting more of a steady feeling from her also.

When I got that feeling from Pam, it was quickly replaced by an intense giddiness. That could only mean one thing, the fairy blood was making its way across the room. My love was in trouble, and she had no idea just how deep she had dug her grave. I hung my head low and tried to reach out to her. I tried to let her know that I wanted her to stop this madness, stop this mission, but I was met with another rush of pain.

Her scream rang out through the palace again. All of the vampires in the grand hall were growing very uneasy. They were all invited to this trial to see a vampire, a powerful Sheriff, be tried for not protecting her. Her screams were alerting them to the fact that she was certainly not being protected right now. These were not screams of passion that they were hearing. These were screams of pure pain, terror, brutality.

I looked around the room and saw some of the vampires talking, plotting, trying to convince others around them to free me. If something didn't happen quickly there was going to be quite a mob scene happening. I looked towards Bill who was fighting against his restraints. It was turning into an interesting night at the palace.

Rage…pure, unadulterated rage filled me. I have never felt such an enormous amount of hate and rage come out of my beloved. She felt like she was coming undone. All I could think of was the fact that he was taking her, unwillingly. It was ugly, horrific, it was all coming form her. None of this was me, and I was not able to wrap my brain around what was happening to her. All I wanted to do was get to her. There is nothing that I have ever known that has caused this type of reaction in her. She was so full of hate, so full of black nothingness.

I took all of my strength and I forced my body up, chair and all. I heard her screaming, but couldn't make out the words that she was saying. I tried to walk towards the door, but it was slow, carrying the chair and the silver, and the swords. The pain was great, but nothing compared to what was coming off of her.

They all just stared at me, eyes wide, not believing that I was able to move with the way my body was tortured and left. I made my way to that door, the door that she had disappeared behind.

"I'm coming, hold on." I knew she wouldn't be able to hear me, but I said the words anyway.

"Someone free him. She is obviously in danger and it is our duty to see that she is protected. Someone untie him!" I had no idea who was giving the orders, but I was thankful. Unfortunately, there was no one that was too quick to move.

"He is trying to kill her, someone fucking help me!" I yelled to the others. Most just looked at me, afraid to let me loose. Afraid that I would attack anything in my way. Probably a good assumption.

As quickly as the rage had come on, it was gone. The screaming had stopped, she was calm. I needed to stop and close my eyes to make sure that I was feeling her, to make sure that she had not been killed. She was still there, only there was no turmoil, no fear, no rage. But, she was weeping. I could feel her weeping, and something had most definitely happened. I no longer felt the pain in my body, I no longer felt the flesh burning from the silver, all I could feel was her. My bonded, my wife.

I heard the door start to open and I was prepared to attack, despite the fact that I was still completely bound to that chair. People around me too were in attack mode, I silently thanked everyone of them. To my surprise Sandy came through that door, alone. She looked across all of the faces, and finally settled on to mine, surprised that I was no longer in the spot where I had been left. She said nothing to me. All she did was walk behind, place gloves over her hands, and release me from chains that help me.

I looked at her curiously, waiting for her next move. It never came. I didn't want to step closer to the door, unsure of whether or not a trap lay on the other side. For all I knew Felipe was waiting for me, stake in hand, Sookie by the throat. I eyed her suspiciously.

She must have sensed my apprehension. She eyed the door, brought her gaze back to me, and then addressed the crowd.

"Ladies and Gentleman, We appreciate that you all have traveled a great way to be with us all here tonight for the trial of Sheriff Northman. With that being said, the King has agreed to drop all charges. He also regrets to inform you that he is no longer able to fulfill his obligation as your King. The council will inform each and every one of you as soon as any decisions are made with regards to the hierarchy." I was fucking speechless.

I ran to the door, ran to her, ran to us. When I entered the room I was immediately hit with the smell of his disintegrating corpse. Unable to fulfill his duties my fucking ass. Then I saw her, bloody, sobbing, being rocked by my child. He had bit her multiple times. That was the reason behind her screams.

Wait, why the fuck are all of these vampires able to be around her when I know for a fact that she took the fucking fairy blood? My anger and frustration once again flared and she felt it. She looked at me through her red, swollen eyes. I'm not even sure if she could see me through the tears that were falling. I went to her, I wanted to comfort her and hold her. I wanted to feel her body again, I needed her like never before.

Pam saw me and she slowly stepped away from my wife. She silently looked at me, nodded her head, and silently let me know that she needed me now more than she had ever needed me before. I kissed Pam on the head for watching over her, and knelt down beside my wife.

I could not hide the anger and the frustration that I was feeling over the fact that she had put herself in danger, but I loved her more than ever. Unfortunately, my face was met with a very hard, very unexpected slap.

Did she just fucking hit me? What the fuck?

**SPOV**

I watched him kiss Pam and knew how thankful he was that she was there with me. I could also feel how upset he was that I had put myself in danger, again. I wanted to throw my arms around him, hold him, love him. But, all I could do was think of that letter. It stung, and at the moment all I wanted to do was show him that he had hurt me. So, I slapped him, and I slapped him so hard that my hand actually throbbed. His face was priceless, he had no idea what to even think.

"Don't you dare ever leave me like that again. I don't care what the hell is happening, you never, ever leave me with a note telling me goodbye. That hurt me more than anything. Do not ever do that to me again." I made my words poisonous and stern.

But, as soon as I got the last word out I was sorry that I had hit him. I grabbed his face in my hands and pulled him to my mouth. I kissed him, as deeply as I have ever kissed him before. I put everything I had behind that kiss and felt his hands pull me into his body. I had forgotten that he was badly hurt and needed to pull back.

I looked over his body, unable to tear my eyes away from the gashes that were in his flesh.

"Oh, Eric…Please. We have to help you. We need to go somewhere so I can give you blood. Please, we need to go, now." I wanted to do everything in my power to help heel him.

"No, I will heel. You need to explain to me what happened here. Sookie, what did you do?" He was pressing for something that I was not quite ready to go over. He was my only concern.

"We'll talk, soon, but not before I help you. If you insist on arguing with me I swear I'll do to you what I did to him." I pointed to the ashing body that lay next to us. That got a half hearted chuckle out of him.

He pulled me into him and buried his face in my hair, nuzzling my neck, smelling my body. I heard a very deep, very throaty growl, and it was not the aroused kind.

"I can smell him all over you, he touched you, was very, very near you. He fed from you." He sounded like a snake hissing venom.

"Not now. We'll discuss that later. I want to get out of here, now." I stood up and tried to pull him to his feet. Apparently he was feeling a little too cared for because it was he that pushed my hand away, stood on his own, and lifted me off my feet.

I couldn't begrudge him for wanting to be his usual, overbearing self. He had just been tortured and held captive in front of hundreds of vampires. If anything, now was the time for him to show that he strong, resilient, unbreakable.

He held me to his deeply wounded body, and I'm sure the pain on the wounds was awful. But, he held me tightly anyway. He kicked the door open and made his way through the grand hall, people hushing and whispering the entire time. I still don't know why vampires even bother whispering, it's not like he can't hear them. Maybe it was for my benefit.

He never gave one of them a glance, just made his way through the palace and out the front door, the same door I had made my way through earlier. I leered at the guard that had made a comment about dessert earlier. He instantly looked away when he caught Eric's eye. I decided to keep that comment to myself.

I was overwhelmed with the nights events. The enormity of the situation came crashing down around me. I tucked my head under Eric's chin and let the emotion of being in his arms just flood out of my body. All I could do was think that I had come so very close to losing everything. If I had not followed through with my plan, if I had been the coward and just let him go off, he would have been executed. And why? Because Felipe thought that it would be fun to play God with my life. He thought it would be amusing and worth while to completely and utterly destroy everything that I had ever known.

I wanted to get someplace quiet, someplace where we could be alone. I am sure that he could feel all of the uncertainty and immense sorrow that I was feeling. I also knew that he was deeply hurt and needed to have blood. I was willing to give him all of mine if it would make his pain end faster. I looked up at him, happy to see his face, and he knew exactly what I was thinking.

As much as I wanted to crawl into a nice, pricey bed in a suite, I wanted my home more. I handed Eric my phone and he called Sandy of all people.

"Pleasure to speak with you again so soon. Given the mishandling of tonight's events, I am going to ask for transport back to Shreveport. We will be at the airport in ten minutes and expect that there will be no issues with our return home." He paused and looked at me, gave me an odd expression, "Yes, I will tell her. Thank You." He hung up the phone and we were in the air, on our way to the airport.

I wasn't sure what the message was, but the way he had looked at me made me wonder what Sandy had said to him exactly. I put it off, knowing that he would tell me when the time was right. As he flew us over the lights of the Vegas strip I couldn't help but be amazed by its beauty, despite the fact that I had just witnesses its ugliness. I clung to him like a child clings to her favorite doll. All I could think of was, mine.

He brought our feet to the ground and we immediately boarded the private jet. I saw him give a slight shudder and wondered what he was thinking about. The captain of the jet took in his appearance and thought it best to pretend as though everything was right as rain. Eric was not willing to let me go, he held me close as the plane was readied for take off. Given that it was a private jet I did not think it necessary to get in my own seat and buckle myself in for safety.

He still hadn't really spoken to me yet. With the emotions that were flowing through us it's a wonder that he could even function. He was drowning in his own feelings, love, concern, confusion, anxiety, anger, lust. He was trying so hard to get a handle on everything, but he just couldn't do it. Since he was in such bad shape, too weak it was hard for him to really do anything.

I decided that I had enough. I took his face in my hands and drew my tongue from his exposed collarbone, all the way up to the tip of his nose. I could feel the arousal build in his lap and then crashed my lips against his. I needed him to take my blood, and I wanted him to do it now. This was not about sexual pleasure to me, it was about instinct, survival, my bonded.

I bared my neck to him and ran my hands down his chest, making sure that I avoided the wounds that were slow to heel.

"Sookie, I'm not sure that I should. You have already been bit tonight, and I do not know how much Felipe took." He was genuinely concerned.

"Eric, I'm fine. Please, you have to , please." I let my words come out desperate, they were. I knew the amount of pain her was in, I could feel it.

"No, I will be fine. I will heel, in time." Enough of this. I hadn't come all the way to Nevada to save his ass and have him not want to get better.

I grabbed him by the head, yanked his neck back and looked directly in his eyes.

"Eric, if you don't bite me and take my god damned blood I will take anything I can get my hands on and shove it in one of my many major artery's. Do you understand me?" I made sure he knew that I would do it, I even began to reach for a bottle opener that I could see out of the corner of my eye.

His eyes grew wide and I saw the spark of fear that I hoped I would awaken. He took my in his arms, grabbed my long hair and wrapped it around his fist to expose my neck, and he bit. It hurt like hell, but he bit. I let out a slight yell, but he kept going.

I caressed his arms as he held me tightly, feeling his arousal grow harder with eat draw of my blood. And suddenly it dawned on me…fairy blood. I masked the scent, but it was still in my blood stream. Any minute now I was going to be getting a very wounded, but very naughty vampire.

My arousal was not quite up to par since my little incident with Felipe, and considering the fact that I had just found out that my kidnapping and rape had all been planned and outlined. I felt Eric's hands start to rub my back, my breasts, any place he could feel me. He started to moan with pleasure as he drank hungrily from my body. I needed to close my eyes and try to lose myself in the entire night.

My husband, my bonded, was whisked away to stand trial for something he had been set up for. I flew off to save him, only putting myself in mortal danger trying to do so. What did I feel when I saw him? Fear, I was scared to death that I would lose him. He was everything to me, the good, the bad, the ugly. He was simply mine. When I heard Felipe call me Dear One all I could think about was the fact that Eric was the one that called me that, because I was his. I was his Dear One.

His moans of arousal were growing louder and I could suddenly feel the blood flow pulling on my center. As much as I was tired and feeling like I had been beaten, I was also safe, loved, alive. I thought about his hands on my body, roaming ferociously as I gave him exactly what it was that he needed. I was giving him the strength, I was giving him nourishment, I was giving him me.

He pulled his face away from my neck and licked the wounds, making sure to let his tongue linger softly, seductively. His eyes already looked glazed and influenced.

"My love, you are everything. You are my captor and you are my savior. You hold the answers to questions I never knew I had. I am forever in your debt, and I will spend the rest of my existence honoring you." And then I melted. I kissed him and tasted my blood on his lips. I forgot about everything the night held. The only two people on that plane were he and I.

I looked at him and saw a noticeable difference in his appearance, not to mention to color of his skin. I threw my self over his body and wrapped my arms around him. I began tugging at his clothes, not wanting to see the bloody remains of the garments. He was more than happy to help me remove everything.

He tore at my clothing as well, mine too were torn, bloody, ruined. It was as though we were shedding the skins of a life we no longer wanted to admit existed. Like we could molt the past away in order to make room for a brighter, more hopeful future. I relished his hands, his tongue, his scent. Everything about his was mine, even the words that were escaping his mouth.

"Mine, Dear One, my love. God…stupid woman. You are so stubborn, I love you. God I love you." His mouth was still warm from my blood. It caused his breath to feel warm against my skin.

"Yes, I am yours." I didn't care that he was calling me stubborn, I didn't care that he was claiming me. In fact, I wanted him to claim me. I wanted him to completely replace any trace of Felipe with himself.

He lifted me slightly off his lap and he bent me backwards, sufficiently baring my entire body to him. My limbs became pliable to his every wish, and I knew that he would mold me into the creation that he so desired. He ran his tongue from my neck all the way down my stomach, causing goose bumps to trail. I shivered, although I was far from cold. I would say I was feverish. I needed him like I needed water, food, air.

**EPOV-**

I could smell him all over her. I didn't want to take her to show her how much I loved her, I wanted to claim her, own her, possess her. My body hurt from the torture, the anger that she had been touched by another, and by my desire to have her. Her eyes were so expressive, like they held the answers to every question that had ever been asked. But, not able to reveal the secrets.

She begged me to feed from her, to help heel myself. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I could see from the wounds on her body that Felipe had already helped himself, and that was not sitting well with me. I had no way to know how much of her he had consumed, and I didn't want to weaken her. She was willing to give me so much of herself. She had just willfully almost sacrificed her life to spare mine.

She offered me her neck and I refused. I felt her anger and her sadness run through her, and then she shocked me. The look she gave me and the tone behind her words made me seriously think that she would fucking shove a corkscrew through her jugular. Did I really want to call her bluff? Did she not just go toe to toe with that asshole?

I didn't want to tempt her. It turned me on just knowing that she had gone to hell and back, and was willing to throw herself back in the fire to keep me from burning. I sank my teeth into her perfect, porcelain skin. I knew it hurt her, there was no sexual arousal involved for her. There was no orgasm pending, there was no making love. It was pure survival, completely animalistic. I heard her cry out, and I have to admit it made me harder. Having her like that, feeding me. Her blood flowed into my mouth and I drank. I swallowed her greedily, uncaring, needing. At that moment, the moment her flesh broke and the thick liquid hit my lips I was gone. I was lost in her, but I was found all at the same time.

I pulled from her, savoring every single drop that reached my mouth. And then I tasted it. The fairy blood that I had smell on her earlier. It was flowing into my mouth, pulling me under, making me come undone. I felt my self sink further and further into the elixir, my mind going around in fucking circles. I wanted her, needed her, she was mine.

I felt my hands start to roam over her, wanting to feel her skin, the warmth, the energy. She was fucking unbelievable and she was mine, all mine. The world around me disappeared, it was only her and me. I felt her body give way to my touch and knew that she was all mine.

She began tearing at my clothes and I was more than happy to get rid of the fucking rags. She too was overdressed. The way she shed her clothing, it was like she was leaving the horror or the night on the floor of that plane. She was beautiful, like she was emerging a new woman. I held her tightly, immersing myself in her soul.

"Mine, Dear One, my love. God…stupid woman. You are so stubborn, I love you. God I love you." I needed her to hear that she was all mine, but the part about her being stupid just kind of slipped. Well, what the fuck, she was stupid. She was stupid and stubborn and strong, and all mine.

"Yes, I am yours." The words could not have been more sweet. I let myself kiss her, run my tongue along her body and I bent her back, exposing all of her to me. I lifted her and slid my self directly in, causing her to scream in pleasure. The fairy blood was running through me and my pleasure was even more intense.

I had a need in me that was something I couldn't describe. I needed to cover his scent, I needed to take back what was mine, I needed all of her. I moved her body ferociously on mine, thrusting into her, pumping myself in a rhythm that can only be described as frenzied.

"Oh God, you are mine. You are Mine. I love you, no one will ever take you away from me. God, MINE!" I didn't give a fuck that she was probably ready to cut my balls off for being so possessive. Hell, I really shouldn't kid about having my balls cut off given tonight's turn of events. The words just kept coming out of my mouth, I had no control over it. The fairy blood had a hold on me and all I wanted to do was take her back. Take her back and make her scream my name.

"Yes Eric, I am yours. Yours, I am yours. No one else, just you. God…Oh God!" I fucking love it when she uses my name and "yours" in the same sentence. I was losing control, I could feel myself coming apart at the seams. She was mine and I was hers, and we were both about to come.

"God, Sookie, Fuck…stupid, stubborn woman, Fuck I love you!" I lost it and exploded inside of her, feeling myself give everything to her.

"Jesus Eric, you can be such an ass, God, I love you too. Oh my GOD!" She came with me and it was almost therapeutic. I held her and felt her tremble under my hands. She had the most beautiful glisten of sweat on her body. I dragged my tongue over her and enjoyed the mixed taste.

I fought the fairy in her the entire plane ride home, knowing that she was exhausted and an emotional wreck. I still needed to know what the fuck happened in that room, and only she would be able to tell me.

"Lover, Sandy wanted me to ask you a question." I spied her suspiciously. She looked up at me and gave me a tired and hazy glare. "Would you like Felipe's sword mounted and gift wrapped?"

TBC…


	24. Chapter 24

**SPOV-**

I have never been so happy to walk in my house. I was exactly the way I left it, only everything was different. Everything I knew was different. It's one thing to live with the fact that you have been attacked and raped and tortured, it's an entirely new ball game when you learn that the entire thing was set up. I dreaded telling Eric, it was bad enough that he was having guilt issues over the fact that I had been taken during the day.

The plane ride home was more than what we both needed. I needed to feel him and to know that he was coming home. He needed to reassure himself that I was his in every meaning of the word. I had laughed at the question that he passed along from Sandy about Felipe's sword. I brushed it off and told him that we would talk about it later, preferably in the bath. He accepted, as I knew he would.

Aside from the exclamations of being his, and my screams of passion, we really didn't do much talking on the way home. I think that too much had happened in such a short time span. Shell shocked would be a fair description. I knew from the past that I needed to get it all out in the open, and soon. There was just too much hanging over me. I would not allow myself to drown in my own shit. My eyes were wide open, I knew I was strong enough to take this on.

We went right up to our room, the bed still unmade. Something had told me to leave it as it was, in case Eric didn't come home. I didn't want anything to be undisturbed. I wanted it to be exactly the way he left it when he got out of bed and left me. I know, talk about emotional issues, right?

"Lover, I do believe that you promised me a bath?" He smiled at me and I could tell that he was still a little tipsy from my blood. All I could do was nod my head and giggle. He was healing, but I could still see where the deepest wounds had been. It made my body hurt, but I knew that he was no longer in pain.

He filled the bath with hot water and allowed the bathroom to fill with thick, fragrant steam. We had left our bloody, torn clothing on the plane and were all but wearing blankets converted into toga's. I was not caring, I was home, with him, we were alive, or at least alive and not finally dead.

I met him in the bathroom and dropped the blanket, joining him in the hot water. It stung my skin but pleaded with me to immerse myself. I leaned back against him and allowed my head to fall softly against his chest. He let his fingers caress my thighs and my arms, causing me to shiver a little.

"Eric, I was so scared that I was going to lose you." I was ready to talk about everything that had gone down. 'Really, when I saw you, it's like everything just stood still. Like when I walked into that room someone hit a pause button on the world." I looked up at the ceiling and noticed that we needed to paint.

"Lover, you should not have come for me. I told you that I did not want you to interfere. I think we have already covered how stupid that was, but, I am proud of how brave you were." I knew that he was upset with me for not listening, and this really was his best way to thank me for going against his wishes.

"So I'm pretty sure that you figured out the whole fairy blood thing. I wasn't doing it to make you upset, or to make you more horny than you already are…not that I'm complaining." I nudged him with my elbow and made sure that he was a little amused. "I just needed something that I knew Felipe would not be able to resist. I needed something to guarantee that he would do something stupid, stupid enough to get himself killed." I was looking at the ceiling again, wondering if we should maybe consider a different shade of white.

"Dear One, look at me." Shit, I was hoping to do this as unemotionally as possible. Kind of, Felipe wanted to kill you, take me, plus he hurt me real bad, so…I killed him. End of story. Now he was going to want to talk about IT. I sat up and turned my body so that I was facing him. Each time I looked at him he appeared to be better. I intertwined my legs with his and smiled softly.

"I felt something inside of you that I have never felt before. There was a rage and a hatred that was black, uncontrollable, even murderous. Tell me, what happened to make you feel this way. Did Felipe threaten me with death? Did he threaten someone else close to you? What was he planning that was so terrible?" Oh God, if he only knew.

He must have felt my sadness because he instantly pulled me to his chest and hugged me. He kissed my head and began to rub my back. He was trying to calm me and I knew that he was doing what he thought I needed. I also knew that it was going to be me very soon trying to calm him.

"Eric, first I just want say that I'm sorry that Felipe bit me. I wasn't sure exactly what was going to happen when I went with him, but I'm sorry that he got that opportunity." I looked in his eyes. I really was sorry that he had been able to take my blood. I wish that I was able to stake his ass the minute the door shut behind us.

"Do not be sorry. I know that you were there because of me, not for your own benefit. It should be me apologizing to you. If I could have prevented all of this, right from the start." I cut him off, knowing that he was going to say that if he only could have been with me to stop that guy from taking me. I couldn't listen to it. It needed to come out.

"Eric, Felipe did it! Felipe set the whole thing up. He hired Mark Oliver to kidnap me, he told him to torture and rape me. Him, he was behind it all." I didn't even realize I was screaming until I heard my voice echoing off the bathroom walls. To my surprise, I wasn't crying.

Eric looked at me, not sure if he had just heard me correctly. He stared at me, intently measuring my reaction. All I could do was look back. There was nothing more I could say. Felipe did it, he planned it. Eric's lack of anything was unsettling. Without warning he just got up out of the water, and disappeared into the bedroom, leaving a trail of wet footprints behind him.

I waited for a moment, hoping that he would come back to question me, but he didn't. I closed my eyes and felt him. I knew he was still in the next room, but he was silent. Instead of emotions I was getting…color? Flashes of red and black. I quickly grabbed a towel and ran into the room.

He was pacing the floor, talking to himself in another language. Naked, wet, pacing, rambling, quite a sight to be seen.

"Eric, please, I need you to say something. I need anything, something?" His hair was clinging to his face and he looked like a caged animal.

"Felipe? He did it?" His words were never colder. I actually shivered when I heard them.

"Yes, he admitted the whole thing, in front of everyone in that room." I was shaking from the cold and the fear that I was feeling.

"Why?" I was not sure that my answer would help the situation, but he deserved to know the truth.

"Because he wanted to set you up, to get you out of the way, he wanted…me." The words caught in my throat as I let the reality of that sink in. What if he was successful? What if Eric was gone, and he did claim me? I looked at Eric and felt all of the color drain out of my face.

"All of it? He was behind all of it?" He was whispering now, but I could feel the anger and the rage start to replace the red and the black.

"Yes." Simple answer.

I slumped down on the bed and let the towel fall off my body. My nipples were hard from being so cold, but I couldn't be bothered to try and get clothes, or to even climb under the covers. It's times like these that I really wish vampires can appreciate the cold that way that humans do.

"Death." I looked at Eric, questioning his response. "All that had a hand in this, death." He knelt before me and took me in his arms. I wasn't going to talk him out of it.

**EPOV-**

"Lover, Sandy wanted me to ask you a question." I spied her suspiciously. She looked up at me and gave me a tired and hazy glare. "Would you like Felipe's sword mounted and gift wrapped?" She laughed it off and she promised me that we would talk about it in the bath. Who the hell was I to argue with her at this point.

She had all but saved my life, I would have agreed to anything. I held her and didn't let her out of my sight the entire flight home. It's not like she could go anywhere, but I was taking any fucking chances. I watched her close her eyes and lay her down on my chest, I brushed the hair from her face and realized just how close I was to losing everything.

When she came through those doors and I felt her eyes searching for me, I felt like my world had stopped. There was no crowd, no voices, nothing but her and I and our eyes fixed on each other. It felt like everything around us had been frozen, and only we were able to move. Kind of like that movie, you know, the one with that comedian that can program his television remote to make the world stop. Anyway, she was a fucking sheep amongst the wolves. She had no idea that she could be led off to slaughter.

I hoped that my eyes would tell her to turn and run, but I knew better. If anything I was telling her to stay and fight harder. Damn stubborn woman. The flight home was quiet, she was not ready to talk about her ordeal and I was not ready to rehash my torture. I also wanted to put off telling her for as long as possible that Felipe had all but told me that he was planning on having me found guilty. Maybe I shouldn't even tell her. Really, what harm would it do to her to just let her believe that this was just part of our huge, fucked up political world?

I felt the wave of relief hit her when we crossed the threshold of our home. It was like she was releasing the breath that she had been holding since we had boarded his plane. I held her hand as we walked into our bedroom and looked around, noticing that she had not moved anything. It was exactly as I had left it. I swear that if I hadn't known better I would have been able to see her sleeping as soundly as when I left her. I felt a little chill in my body as I knew that she did this anticipating the worst. Knowing her the way I did, she would have come home after all was said and done, and crawled into that untouched bed, and buried herself in the memories of us. The smell, the feel, the everything. I would have done the exact same.

I turned and looked at her, she just smiled at me. I looked at her in a toga style airline blanket and couldn't help but want her She could make a potato sack look sexy. I could feel myself getting hard just looking at her.

"Lover, I do believe that you promised me a bath?" She giggled at me and I went to draw the water. Since we were a little bloody, a little sweaty, and a lot sore, I decided that a nice, hot bath would be best. I let the water fill the tub and the room fill with steam. I took a moment to think about everything, deciding that I was not going to tell her about Felipe. Dead and gone.

She came in and dropped the blanket, causing me to grow even harder. I knew that she was still feeling on edge and did not want to jump her the minute she got in the bath. She lowered herself into the water and leaned back against me, letting the tension release from her body. I loved it when she just relaxed into me. I couldn't help it, my hands were already rubbing her.

I could sense that she was feeling very exposed, and not in the naked, fleshy kind of way. She was feeling emotionally raw and I too knew where she was coming from. I felt like I knew the words before they came out of her mouth, because I too was afraid that I was going to lose her. All I could do was reiterate to her that I was not pleased that she had deliberately gone against my wishes. But, I was also so overwhelmingly proud of her. How fucked up is that? I was pissed that my bonded would not obey me, but pleased that my wife had the balls to stand up for what she thought was right?

I also felt like I needed to puff my chest out and strut I was so fucking pleased that my wife was a hard ass, dangerous bitch. Seriously, fucked up. But, I am a vampire after all, any of us would be proud if their bonded were so lethal.

I laughed a little when she told me about her secret weapon, fairy blood. Yup, figured that one out. My dick still was not pleased that it felt like it hadn't been used properly in centuries. I thought about showing her again with an all night romp session, but rest was something we both needed.

I felt her calm body laying against me and then I realized that this was so opposite from what I had felt in her earlier, and I began to question the emotions that I had felt. Was it possible that the hatred and the rage that was rushing through me was my own? I was pretty sure that it was coming from her. So, I knew that I needed to ask her. The second the question was asked her body became rigid, tense, scared. I knew that these were in deed her feelings that I had felt and she did not want to tell me that was happening.

I had a sudden sensation that this was the reason that Felipe was no longer ruling our state, or walking for that matter. Did he tell her that he had wanted to claim her? Did her threaten to harm her family, or me? Did he put ideas in her head like he had done earlier with me? Maybe I was going to have to tell her about his rigged trial after all.

I noticed that she was looking at the ceiling, like she was trying to figure out whether or not we should add a ceiling fan, or perhaps a heating lamp. She is the queen of avoidance. I often think that she had a hand in writing the book. Perhaps a contributing editor? If I was going to tell her about Felipe I needed her to look at me.

I asked her to turn around, and she reluctantly did. God, just looking in her eyes and I could forget about everything. I could let the world crumble around me and I wouldn't care, as long as I had her eyes to look at. I need to shake my head for a second, bring me back from my fucking daydream.

She started to apologize to me for letting Felipe bite her. Are you fucking serious? I mean I know that she laced herself with the vampire equivalent of Viagra and ecstasy. And she did look fucking hot. But, she did not go there to have sex with him and to gain pleasure. She went there with the sole purpose of gaining my freedom. She apparently didn't care that she may get herself killed, or would need to kill to do it.

Her apology made me feel guilty again about the whole situation to begin with. If she had had protection with her when she was taken none of this would have been possible. Felipe would not have been able to use that as an excuse to have that farce of a trial. I could feel her become more uneasy and her face was becoming tense, angry.

"Eric, Felipe did it! Felipe set the whole thing up. He hired Mark Oliver to kidnap me, he told him to torture and rape me. Him, he was behind it all." Her voice echoed through the bathroom. What the fuck did she just say? No, I know that I heard that wrong. I waited for her to repeat herself. No, I waited for her to correct herself. She said nothing, all she did was look at me, not sure of what she should be doing.

When I realized that I had in fact heard her correctly I needed to remove myself from what had just happened. I needed to get the fuck out of there before I did something stupid and scared the life right out of her body. I got out of the water, not even bothering to take a towel with me. Drip drying was the least of my concerns at that moment in time. Fuck, no way I heard her correctly. No way that fucking prick did that to her. No way that I didn't get word.

I paced back and forth in the bedroom, seething with so much hatred that I couldn't even describe it. I have never hated anything more than I hated him at that fucking moment in time. My wife, her life, our life. It was purposely destroyed, in the worst of ways. I can deal with a little fucking stalking, maybe some threats to her safety here and there. But this, fucking kidnapping her, torturing her, raping her? He took the one thing that she fucking feared the most and he made it reality.

I wanted him alive, I wanted him alive and in front of me. I wanted him more than I wanted the fucking animal that actually did the physical harm. I wanted to do things to him that would make her time in her prison cell seem like a fucking vacation.

Every night that she woke up screaming, hysterical that someone was going to hurt her. That was his fault, he did that to her. When he saw her at the bar that night when she showed up, expecting to find me with another woman. He must have been so fucking pleased with the outcome of his little project.

I turned around and she stood there looking at me, unsure of what was happening. She couldn't grasp what I was feeling, I couldn't even fucking understand the power of the hate that I had. I didn't even realize that I had been talking to my self in Swedish, a habit that I had started centuries ago.

"Eric, please, I need you to say something. I need anything, something?" I think that she was scared that I was mad at her. I did make a fairly quick exit from our cozy bath.

"Felipe? He did it?" When I said his fucking name out loud I wanted to choke on the sound. I probably could have coated the walls with ice I was so cold.

"Yes, he admitted the whole thing, in front of everyone in that room." She was so desperate to make me understand what had happened. She had started shaking.

"Why?" I was afraid I already knew the answer, but I needed to ask.

"Because he wanted to set you up, to get you out of the way, he wanted…me." I watched the expression on her face change as she said this and I knew that it was finally going to hit her, like a ton of bricks.

To my shock and surprise, during all of this she had not started crying. Normally, when things got too much for her she would always end up leaking, as Pam liked to say. But right now she was like stone, completely free of tears. That fucking scared me more than anything. I knew that she was in a state of shock. I knew that her mind had not really accepted the fact that her life had been manipulated in such a dark and twisted way. It made me even more angry at the situation. I was afraid that she was going to slip back into her "down" stage. Stay in bed for weeks, refuse to eat, refuse to move.

She had flopped down on the bed and was noticeably cold. I moved closer to her, wanting to wrap my body around her, shelter her, protect her. I would be anything she wanted me to be. Husband, lover, protector, punisher, anything. I knelt down and I took her in my arms.

"Death." I looked up at her, promising her revenge. "All that had a hand in this, death." She didn't even bother to try and talk me out of it. I rubbed my head against her thigh and felt her legs start to warm against my flesh. She ran her fingers through my wet hair and massaged my head. I let my eyes close as I enjoyed the sensation.

I let my hands start to rub her hips and her back, ready to stop if she asked me to. But, she let me keep going. As soon as I heard her sigh that happy sigh I knew that she needed me to make love to her. I ran my lips down her legs, and back up to where my head had been resting in her lap. I gently gave her a push and she fell back on the bed, letting herself fall open as she did.

I touched my fingertips to her skin and watched in amazement as the goose bumps broke out on her flesh. I let my fingers run down her hips and over her thighs, until I positioned one of my hands over her stomach and one right over her center. She was starting to breath heavier and I knew that she was wanting me to pick up the pace.

I slid two fingers inside of her and was more than fucking pleased to find her very wet and very ready to have me. I brought my lips and my tongue to her core and proceeded to tease her in the way that I knew drove her fucking crazy. Her hands flew to my hair and she pulled and she pressed my head, making me moan her name. I absolutely love when she knows exactly where she likes it.

I let my tongue glide along her entrance in long, slow strokes. I bring my fingers up to a slightly faster pace, and I know that she is writhing for release. She is my fucking world, and that bastard thought that playing in my sand box would just be ok? As I thought about him my pace became faster, harder.

I didn't want her to come without me inside of her. I pulled away from her and heard that beautiful sound. The sound of her aching for me to touch her again. Like music to my fucking ears. She only makes that sound for me. I crawled up her body, dragging my tongue all the way up from her center to her chin.

She watched me the entire time she was able to. Only taking her eyes off of me when my mouth got too high on her body to not tilt her head up. I found her mouth and I crashed mine against hers. She returned my kiss with so much intensity that I thought she was going to melt me.

I took her leg in my hand and out it over my shoulder, thrusting myself inside her in one quick motion.

"Oh God, Yes. Oh My God, Eric.!" I loved that way she sounded when we made love. So raspy, so sexy, so breathless.

I buried myself inside of her, making sure to keep her leg comfortably placed on my shoulder. I leaned over and kissed the thigh that was suspended, causing her to laugh from being so ticklish. I nibbled behind her knee and I swear she almost jumped off the fucking bed.

I thrust into her, meeting her hips each time. She was pressing against me, pulling my ass to meet her body. She was so perfect, so completely mine.

"Lover, Oh God. I will not, Ah…be at peace until…Sookie Ah, I have found everyone involved in hurting you. Oh My God, don't stop that. God, I will see that everyone pays. Oh God Lover. God, Sookie!" I came and released inside of her. The thought of revenge combined with the pleasure of fucking my wife put me over the edge.

Just as I dropped over the climax edge she had turned her hips in such a way that she joined me, screaming my name, trembling in sexual pleasure. I secretly hoped that my promise to act out revenge on her wrong doers had turned her on a bit too and that had added to her orgasm. Maybe, maybe not?

I rolled off her and pulled her into me, tucking her under my chin. I kissed her head and laced my fingers with hers. She kissed my hands and then dropped them suddenly.

"Eric Northman, where is your wedding ring?" Apparently my fingers had not been on the forefront of her mind earlier. I felt a sudden pain in my chest as I remembered that Felipe had taken it from me.

"Lover, Felipe took it. I'm sorry, I was bound when he removed it from my finger. I would not have taken it off for anything, he had to remove it himself, knowing that I would not give up such a treasure." I could feel her sadness.

"Well, I'll get it back. I promise you, I will get that ring back." I somehow knew not to challenge her words. I kissed her and nodded.

"Sookie, are you going to tell me why Sandy asked you about Felipe's sword?" I was exhausted, and she was too, but I needed to know.

"Well, Felipe was attacking me. He was telling me all about the fact that he had hired Mark Oliver, and he was laughing. I was trying to get away and Sandy of all people pulled me away." I stopped her.

"Sandy pulled you away from Felipe? Did she say why?" I was a little puzzled. She had always been a very faithful second.

"No, she just looked at me with this creepy look. Anyway, when my back was turned to him she handed me his sword. I knew right away what I needed to do. I turned around and told him that the only person that could ever call me Dear One was you. And then I swung the sword. His head came off pretty easily" She yawned as she got out the last part.

"So Sandy pulled you away, and provided you the weapon to finally kill Felipe?"

"Um-Huh, sure did." She yawned again, and she was asleep. I thought about the reasons why. Why would Sandy do that? Why would you all but kill him herself?

I wasn't able to think long, I was pulled under by the sleep that my body needed. I would have to wait to get answers to my questions.

TBC…


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N-Sorry for the delay…what can I say, life.**

**SPOV-**

I really don't know what I was expecting when I woke up the next day. Maybe the world would somehow be different? I mean, hadn't I just learned that my life had been grossly and disgustingly manipulated? Wasn't I the victim of the most cruel and torturous plans that could have possibly ever been imagined? Shouldn't that make the world more gray, more dismal?

Instead it looked like a beautiful, peaceful, gloriously happy day. I had slept most of it away, thank Christ. I still was awake before Eric, that would give me enough time to be alone with my own thoughts, my own grief. I looked around the room, blinked my eyes a few times, and realized that nothing had changed. The world continued to turn, the wind continued to blow, bastards continued to live.

I looked at Eric, now completely himself. There was not a trace of the horror that he had experienced last night left on his body. But, much like myself, I couldn't see the pain and anger that was stewing inside of him. He slept silently, peacefully unaware that I was awake and watching him. I tucked a few stray hairs delicately behind his ear and removed myself from our comfortable bed.

I was cold, cold like I hadn't felt in quite sometime. The weather outside was very warm, almost being May. But, I just couldn't shake the unnerving cold that was taking over my body. I grabbed a sweatshirt and some yoga pants, threw on my slippers, and even grabbed Eric's robe. I went down to make myself some coffee and silently hoped it would warm me from the inside out.

I just couldn't get his words out of my head. The way he sounded, the way he laughed as he told me he had purposefully destroyed my life. I shook as I remembered how violently my body reacted as he referred to me as Dear One. Thank God that asshole is dead. Why physically and emotionally hurt me in such an awful way, if the sole purpose was to try and save me? It just didn't make any sense to me. But, I guess that's why I'm not a vampire. None of this would ever make sense to me.

As I impatiently waited for the coffee to drip into the pot, I nervously tapped my fingernails against the countertop. I seriously considered just sticking my mouth under the drip spout and letting it brew right into my mouth. But, after I thought about the possible 2nd degree burns, I reconsidered.

I thought about Eric's promise to see that everyone that had a hand in Felipe's plan would see their death, or final death. The idea didn't even make me flinch. I actually welcomed it, accepted it, looked forward to it. Yup, that's the girl I have become. A bitter, blood thirsty, revenge seeking bitch. So, sue me.

After the coffee had finally finished its eternal drip, I made myself a glorious, steamy cup and made myself comfy in a big, leather chair. The sun was low in the sky and it was starting to turn a beautiful shade of pink. I rubbed my arms in order for the friction to create a false sense of warmth. After about thirty seconds I realized that my muscles were still a little sore from last night.

Last night, right. Evil, sadistic bastard admits to fucking with my life. Last night, evil, sadistic bastard tortures my husbands. Last night, evil, sadistic bastard meets his very own evil and sadistic final death. I got the chills as I remembered the sound I heard as I swung the sword through the air and heard it connect with his flesh.

If I hadn't have been so scared I actually might have wanted to drag his death out a little bit, make him feel as scared as I felt in that makeshift prison. Who the hell am I kidding? I couldn't torture a poisonous spider, never mind a ruthless vampire.

The coffee was doing a good job waking me up, but really nothing for my internal freeze. My next course of action was going to have to be a nice hot bath. I needed something to erase the cold that I was feeling. Normally I would have donned a bikini and basked myself in the sun, but I just couldn't bring myself to do that. I didn't want to expose myself to anything outside of this house, even if it was my own backyard.

Before I ran back upstairs I dialed Barbie's office and made an appointment for the next day. I had made a commitment to myself and to Eric. I was going to follow through with everything when it came to getting myself well. This little turn of events certainly needed to be dealt with. I just love the whole doctor/patient confidentiality clause. Her secretary was polite enough to let me know that I was going to be seeing her for the usual appointment time. No more afternoon long sessions. Oh well, talking can be a little over rated anyway.

I walked into the bedroom and looked at Eric, still asleep, still magnificent. It really is amazing that he could have been through hell last night and looks no worse for the wear. I shut the bedroom door and leaned back against it, just watching him. Before I knew what was happening I could feel the tears streaming down my face. I don't know what set the waterworks off, but there I stood, crying, alone.

I almost lost everything. If I had not gone to Nevada, Eric would be gone. Felipe would have won, had him killed, and come for me. All because I was considered a prized possession? Why, because of my disability? Because of my blond hair, boobs, blue eyes? I was nothing but property, I was something to be owned?

Eric was so deep in this vampire world. He was a Sheriff and he knew the vampire political game all too well. This was my life. I was always going to be coveted by the leaders of his world. My disability was not a secret, our relationship was certainly not a secret. I was always going to be a threat to his safety and my own. This epiphany hit me like a Mack truck going about sixty miles an hour. It was _never _Eric that was the danger. Me, I am the danger. I am the one that is constantly going to be putting him in danger. Someone will always be trying to hurt him, kill him, use him to put a claim on _me_.

My heart was beating out of my chest. My head was racing with the idea that all along everyone has been trying to tell me that Eric was going to lead me right into hell. But they were so very wrong. Me. I am holding his hand as I walk him right into every trap that could be set. Felipe wanted me, so he hurt me, and set Eric up to suffer the consequences. He would have killed Eric to make sure that he got his hands on me.

Victor wanted to take over everything from Eric, so again, I was put in the line of fire. He knew that getting me would cause Eric irreversible harm. Christ, even before we were together I caused him to stand next to me while I held a stupid bomb. It may not have been meant for me or him, but damn it, he was right there next to me. Again, we both would have been killed if that thing had exploded. _I_ was the one thing that was a constant danger to _him_!

I was just staring at him, 1000 years and he was the strongest, most powerful thing I had ever known. Yet right at this moment he looked like the most powerless, angelic creature I had ever seen. I loved him so much it made my body actually hurt. I was willing to throw my life away for him, without even thinking about it. I know how much he loves me, I can feel it every single day. It takes my breath away to realize that he has that much love to give. My love, my hope, my everything.

I was running through the room, not even realizing what I was doing. I had grabbed a bag and was throwing clothes inside it. Anything that I could get my hands on was going in the duffel bag. No rhyme or reason, no plan, no promise. Something inside of me was telling me to go. My body was screaming at me to save him, let him be the powerful Viking that he needed to be.

I had made him promise me that he would never, ever leave me again without saying goodbye. The letter that he had left me had hurt me more than anything, but I was suddenly aware of why he had done it. The emotions ripping through my body were almost too much to take. What was I doing? Could I do this and live with myself? I knew I had no choice, he was far too important to me. I reached for a pen and paper and did the very thing that I made him promise to never do to me. God damned hypocrite.

_Eric,_

_I can't keep doing this to you. I love you too much to keep putting you in such danger. I would never be able to live with myself if something happened to you, something that I could have prevented just by walking away. You will always have my heart and I will always be yours, but I have to let you go. _

_I love you Eric. You are my everything, you gave me back my life when I thought it was over. Let me do the same for you. If I am gone there will be no reason for you to be such a target any longer. You can go back to the way things used to be, should be, need to be. If I was the cause of your final death I would not be able to live. _

_Please don't hate me. I am not going to Bon Temps, so don't look for me there. When I am ready, I will ask Niall to sever our bond. It may kill me, but knowing that you are safe will be enough. I love you Eric, more than I ever thought possible. _

_Always Yours,_

_Sookie _

I did the hardest thing I have ever done, I took off my wedding ring and I put it in an envelope along with the letter. I put it on the bed, next to his head, and I grabbed his shirt that was laying on the floor. I shut the door behind me and I ran. I ran from the house and I ran from the man that was everything to me. The man that I was a constant danger to, the man that would certainly meet his final death if I didn't leave while I had the nerve.

**EPOV-**

The last few moments of my sleep were restless, filled with what felt like terror. I had images of Sookie running from fear. I knew that she must have been thinking about what she had learned last night. I wish I had the fucking opportunity to kill that asshole myself. But, the satisfaction that my love got to dispose of him herself was a little comforting. There was something else that I was feeling, desperation?

It was not quite time to rise, but I knew that she needed me, I could feel it. I forced myself out of my sleep and felt for her. She wasn't in bed, and she wasn't in the bathroom? My eyes grew wide as I tried to reach out to her, tried to pin point her location. What the fuck? She wasn't even in the house. I have no problem with her leaving, she is by no means under lock and key, but with the recent events, I would expect her to have given me a little warning.

I spotted the letter and felt my body relax. At least she remembered to tell me where she was going so I wouldn't worry. But something was not right. The feelings that were coming through our bond were not normal. She was in distress, she was not herself. It almost felt like she was not in control of her emotions. Fear, desperation, sadness, angst, depression? What is going on, where the fuck is she?

I ripped open the letter and could only stare when I saw her wedding ring come tumbling out onto the bed. I was overwhelmed with panic. She would never willingly leave her ring behind, just as I had not willingly given my ring to Felipe. Did someone take her, convince her to leave with them? I opened the letter, knowing that it would tell me what I needed to know.

Knots in my stomach, pain in my chest, confusion. This was certainly her handwriting? But, why does she think that she is a danger to me? What the fuck is going on? She left me? She's going to have Niall break our bond? I roared in a way that made my entire house shake. I could feel the walls shudder and I could hear the windows rattle. No, I would not let her leave. She is not thinking straight. She is not herself. She can not leave me, I can not live without her.

I tried to feel her, she was still fairly close by, but I knew that she was running as fast as she fucking could. When she made up her mind to do something, she did it. Fuck. I was so fucking angry and so fucking terrified. She was gone, and what if she really didn't want to come back? My wife, my love. She really thought that she was saving me by leaving me? Didn't she know that leaving me would take away my will to exist? Without her I have nothing. Without her I am nothing. Fuck, I need her like she needs air to breath.

I felt cold tears run down my cheeks, the reality that she had left hit me. I needed to find her, I needed to hold her. I needed her. I know that she needs me just as much. I can feel it, I can feel just how bad she is right now, and I know that she is feeling me. What if she goes straight to Niall? Fuck, what if she gets to Niall and severs the bond before she has time to think about what that will do to both of us. Neither one of us will be able to handle it.

I picked up my phone and called Pam. I was unsure if she was up yet, I was much older than her and had forced myself up due to the chaos I was feeling. I needed to try.

"Pam! Good, you're up. Get the fuck over here, quickly." I hung up on her, not wanting to waste time explaining on the phone. I needed to call Niall, but was feeling nervous about telling him about Sookie's plan. He had offered to break our bond once before, if he knew now that this is what she wanted he most certainly would not listen to me.

"Brigant, have you spoken to Sookie? Good, if you do you must tell her to call me. It is very important." He tried to question my intentions as he could hear the desperation in my voice. "I do not have to explain anything to you. Just know that she is not in a good place right now and she is not thinking clearly. She may ask you to do certain things that she will regret later. I will call you again soon." I hung up on him too, I hate that arrogant bastard.

Pam walked in, she immediately felt my fear and noticed that Sookie was not here. She looked around, hoping she would appear from another room. I handed her the letter, she shook her head.

"What is it with you two and Dear John letters?" I glared at her, letting her know that I was in no mood to put up with her attitude. "How long has she been gone? Can you still feel her? Do you think that she is going right for Niall?" Now she was fucking thinking straight.

"Yes, I can feel her. She is driving somewhere, but I am not sure where. I called Niall and told him to have her call me. I also told him that she may ask him to do something that is not in her best interest." I paused and thought about her asking her Great Grandfather to break our bond. "Do you really think that she would fucking do that? Do you think she would break our bond?" My voice was breaking.

She paused and I could tell that she was thinking about her words carefully.

"Eric, I was there when she found out what Felipe had done. I saw what her face looked like when she realized that her life had been toyed with. Do you know what her main concern was? It wasn't that he had hurt her, ruined her life. The last thing she said to him was that only her husband has the right to call her Dear One. She seemed more upset that he was calling her by a pet name that you called her by." I looked at my child and was slightly confused. "Eric, my point is that right now I think that she is not thinking straight. She is traumatized and she is in shock. She saw you in a tortured state last night, she was told that she had been the prize in a sick and twisted game of chess. Her bonded was almost sent to his final death, all because some asshole wanted her. So unfortunately, yes. I do think that right now she would go to Niall and ask him to sever your bond. I think that it is her way of making herself believe that she is saving you. She is sacrificing herself yet again for you." Her words fucking felt like a knife. She was right.

"We need to find her. We need to find her now." I grabbed some clothes and dressed as I ran to the door. I needed to get to her and I needed to make her see that she was making a huge mistake. My love, my wife, my everything. I needed her.

I closed my eyes as I drove, trying to feel for her. She was right, she was not going to Bon Temps. I called everyone and left messages to have her call me if she happened to get in touch with them. I knew better, she would not call them until she was far enough away that I could not get to her quickly. Why, why did she have to be so fucking hard headed?

I pulled over and brought the car to a screeching halt. Pam pulled up behind me and got out, searching my face for answers.

"Pam, go to the bar. Open for business as usual. Go about the night as though nothing is out of place. I am turning around, bringing my car back home. I need to be in the air. I need to have a better view, look down over everything. I think that I will be able to see her if I can look down over the roads. I have to find her. I can't live without her." I pulled away, leaving Pam standing there, questioning my decision to send her to Fangtasia. I didn't have time to explain to her. All I know is that last night my wife had very successfully disposed of the king. If anyone wanted to get in contact with me, they would most likely come looking for me at the bar. Pam being there would show that we were still willing to open, even under the worst of circumstances. Plus, I didn't want anyone knowing that my wife was on the run.

I took minutes to get my car home and take flight. I could feel her, she was so upset. She was actually hating herself. She was so wrong. I have always lived a life of danger, of scrutiny, low morals. I just never shared it with anyone. Now, everything about me involved her, and she now had to see the real danger that took place on a daily basis.

If I could only make her see how fucking ridiculous she was being. She had no idea what she was doing. We couldn't live without each other, we were one, we are Bonded. She is mine, I am hers. I searched the roads as I felt her. She was so distraught, so upset. I really was worried that she was going right to Niall, but her letter said when she was ready. What the fuck did that mean? When she was ready?

I was flying through the night sky when everything just stopped. Every emotion that was coursing between us halted. I stopped and levitated in the sky, not sure which direction I needed to go. I smelled the air, trying to pick up on anything that would lead me to her. I was panicked, why did everything just stop? What the fuck did she do? There was no pain, no physical pain. There was just…a void?

I caught something in the air and took off, faster than I had flown before. I spotted her car on the side of the rode. I stood before it, cautiously approaching. She was nowhere to be found. The car keys were still in the ignition, but she was gone. I got in the car and sat in the driver's side, taking in the scent of her tears. She had cried through about three boxes of those tissue things. I don't know how many times I have told her to consider stock in that paper company.

The seat and the steering wheel were both still warm from her body. I could smell her everywhere. But, I could also smell what had happened to her. There was the very powerful, very annoying scent of fairy. Claudine. She was with Claudine and I knew there was nothing that I could do to get to her. I now knew the reason everything had just stopped. Her cousin had taken her to her realm, a place that I could never get to. At least she was protected.

I felt defeated, yet relieved. Maybe Claudine would talk some sense into her? Maybe she would tell her she was acting like a fool? I wonder if her cell phone gets reception in her realm? I had the sudden urge to call her and ask 'Can you hear me now?' It was worth a try. Fuck, I needed to tell her to send my fucking wife back to me.

I called her number and by some fucking miracle she answered. I wonder what network she has? Anyway, I could hear Sookie sobbing. I tried to tell her that I needed to speak to my wife.

"Listen, I know she is with you. I can fucking hear her crying. I need to speak with her." Did she just tell me no? Did she just fucking tell me no? "Fairy, that is my wife and I must speak to her, now!" I looked at my phone and felt the urge to shatter it. "Claudine, she thinks that leaving me is protecting me. She is not thinking straight. Do not let her go to Niall. Do you fucking hear me? I need her to come back to me!" The line went dead. I hoped he heard me, I need her back. I need her, all of her. Claudine was there to protect her. She would not allow her to do something so harmful as breaking our bond. She would explain the physical and emotional pain involved in such an act.

What the fuck could I do? Sit there on the side of the road? Hang out there for God knows how long waiting for her to just appear? I was so fucking pissed. Pissed at my world, pissed at her, pissed at that fucking fairy. I hated everything and everyone.

I got out of the car, defeated, angry. I decided that I should go to the bar and fill Pam in on what had happened. I looked at her car, saw that there were no other cars coming down the road. I picked it up and I threw it. I destroyed that fucking piece of shit. Sure, she was going to be absolutely livid with me. I made sure that that car was beyond fucked up. I took out all of my anger and hate on that piece of metal. Now, she would have no excuse. She would have to get a new car. I fucking hate that piece of shit.

TBC………


	26. Chapter 26

**EPOV-**

I walked into the bar and looked at Pam. I shook my head and went straight for my office. I slammed the door behind me and threw myself into my chair, letting it roll backwards. I had the urge to take my long arm and sweep everything off my desk, just for the drama of it. I saw a picture of her and I, happy. She was so beautiful. I picked up the frame and stole a glance at my left hand. My naked, bare hand. My ring, my symbol of our love, our hope, our everything was gone, along with her.

I reached into my pocket and took out her ring. I slipped it on my pinky finger, even though it only fit to the first knuckle. Just having it near me made me feel closer to her. I threw the picture against the wall and watched as the glass shattered to the ground. Pam knocked on the door and walked in just as the glass was falling.

"Did you not find her?" I looked at her, gave her a crooked smile, and brushed my hair back.

"Oh, I found her alright. I found her car on the side of the road, but my wife? My wife seems to have disappeared with her fucking fairy cousin. She won't let me speak to her. Fucking fairy." I was really hating that bitch right now.

"At least you know that she is not in any danger. It's not like Claudine is going to hurt her. Isn't it her job to make sure that she stay's safe?" I gave her a No Shit look. "Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be at home, pacing the floors, waiting for her to poof back home?" She waved her hand in the air like she was holding a magic wand.

"I am here, Pam, because I own this fucking bar. I am here because if anyone should come looking for me I need to be here. I am here because I don't want to think about the fact that my fucking wife has left me because she feels that she is a danger to me. Seriously, how fucked up is that? My wife, my human, mortal wife thinks that she is a danger to me. Her vampire, warrior husband. What the fuck was she thinking?" I didn't expect an answer, but really, what was she thinking?

"Eric, she isn't thinking. That's why she left. Do you really think that Sookie would ever leave you? Your Sookie, your Bonded? She isn't herself. She got handed a lot of shit last night, plus, she killed Felipe. She is only human. She can't handle this type of world with the grace that we can. She is not used to torture and murder. She is Sookie. She is just scared. She'll be back, I know she will." She smiled at me, even gave me a little fang. I nodded at her and told her to get back to work.

I stewed in my office, not pleased that I was alone. I thought about everything that she had been through in the past couple of months. If I was human I would probably have gone off the fucking deep end. Grabbed a shot gun and ended my misery. Not my wife. She was strong, she was brave. She fought her way back, even when she felt like she was losing. She forced herself to accept the reality of what had happened to her, only to learn that the reality was so much worse. She was never just a random victim. She was chosen, planned, played with.

That made me remember my promise to her. I grabbed the phone and called Compton.

"Bill, I need you at the bar. Bring your laptop and get here as fast as you can." I was sure as shit going to get my hands on the names of every single fucker that helped the king, ex king, hurt her. Oh would they pay. I was getting hard just thinking about it. I would see that they experienced pain and misery, torture that they never even dreamed of. Yes, I was definitely hard thinking about revenge for my love.

Pam came in my office a while later with Compton following behind her. I chose not to tell him of Sookie's sudden decision to leave our marriage.

"Bill, I need you to help me with a little project. You see, last night, while I was indisposed, Sookie was learning of some very important information." He sat down on the couch and just looked at me. "It seems that Felipe was behind Sookie's kidnapping and her…attack. He hired the shifter to hold her captive and torture her. He felt that was the easiest way to set me up, execute me, and claim her for his own." I could see how angry Bill was, and I have to admit, it made me just the slightest bit happy.

"De Castro did that to her? He hurt her that badly just to get you out of the way? So, what are we waiting for? Do you need my help to put together some plan to kill him, count me in. I'll gladly stake the bastard myself." Bill's voice was cool and calm.

"Nope, my wife took care of that last night. The little speech Sandy gave about Felipe no longer being able to fulfill his duties as King…yeah. Well that would be because Sookie beheaded that fucking asshole. Unable to fulfill his duties because he's nothing more than a flaking pile of ash, fucker." I smiled as I proudly told him about Sookie's act.

"Sookie killed the King? Wow, good for her. So what do you need me for?" He looked at little perplexed.

"Because I want anyone that knew, or had a hand in his plan to fucking suffer. I want to inflict as much pain and as much terror on them as they inflicted on her. I don't care how many there are, I want all of them. I want every fucking one of them. Do you understand what I am saying?" My words were slow and deliberate.

"Absolutely. Let's get stated." Good man, maybe leaving Compton alive wasn't such a bad idea after all. He had proved himself useful quite a few times already.

"Pam, do you think that Sandy had any idea what Felipe had done?" I looked at her, waiting for her response.

"The way she looked at Sookie last night, I would have to say No. But, I think that she knew Felipe had done something, she just had no idea what that was exactly. She was the one that handed her the sword. I would bet that she was just as pissed as Sookie. I would say leave her alive, she may be of more use to us later." Point taken.

"Alright, Sandy lives. Anyone else, man, woman, child, I don't fucking care who they are or what they are. I want their names, I want their addresses, I want everything." I left Bill alone in my office and went out into the bar. I needed a distraction, and I needed to not be alone.

I stalked over to my chair and slouched down in it. I glared at the crowd, hating every single one of them. I thought about her words to me in her letter. Go back to the way my life used to be, should be. Yeah, Like I could ever go back to this fucking life. The life of fucking fang bangers, faceless whores begging for me to feed from them. The fucking stink of them, their shrill voices, their pitiful begging. No, I could never go back to a life without her.

I closed my eyes and tried to feel her, tried to get a sense of where she was, but I got nothing. I ached to feel her body, smell her skin, hear her voice. I just needed something, some piece of her. I motioned towards a waitress to bring me a drink, and I had a warm bottle of blood in my hand before I could count to ten. I took a sip and wanted to gag on the synthetic, metallic taste. No, I could never go back to a life without her. My world, my everything.

I saw a woman walk by me several times, practically eye fucking me. I really didn't want to put up with this shit. I had seen her here before, several times. Each time she was here Sookie would always tense up and plaster that fucking horrendous smile on her face. I knew it was probably because she was hearing her less than pleasant thoughts.

My wife was always too much of a lady to speak too harshly of people she didn't really know, so she would just tell me that she was a broadcaster. Tonight this woman appeared to have had a little too much to drink, a little too much liquid courage.

I watched her as she grew more ballsy by the second, I could almost see the wheels turning in her head. One step, two steps, she was going to walk right fucking up to me. I will not be held responsible for what happens to this bitch.

She was blond, like Sookie, only her blond was courtesy of a box. She was tall and flat chested, almost boy like. She had a rich, full of herself quality about her. Like she was too good for the people she was choosing to spend her time with. I had to wonder if her daddy really knew where she was. She focused her deep brown eyes on me and I knew that she was not turning back.

She stepped up on the platform and everyone stopped to look at the woman that dared approach me in such a manner. Pam was busy with Compton in my office, normally she would have a fucking field day with this type of behavior. I watched her slowly walk towards me, not noticing the hush that had taken over the room.

She reached her hand out and let her finger drag across my leg. It took every impulse I had not to pull it back and break it off her hand. She leaned it and looked at me.

"Hi, I'm Kristen. I couldn't help but notice you noticing me." Are you fucking serious? I used to use that line like fifty years ago, when it was actually cool. She was a piece of work. Fucking bitch.

"Really, you noticed me? Me noticing you, Kristy was it?" I could drain her right there.

"Kristen actually, but you can call me whatever you want. Anyway, I've seen you before, lots of times. I'm so happy to see that you've finally decided to send that piece of trailer trash packing. She was constantly hanging on you, like she owned you or something." All of the rage that I was holding back was coming up, like bile from my gut.

I ran my fingers through her bottle blond hair, seeming like I was caressing her. And then I snapped. I grabbed her by the head and snapped it back with as much force as I could muster without killing her. I saw the fear in her eyes and felt myself get hard as I could smell just how scared she was.

"You fucking skank. If you ever refer to my wife in that way again I will see that you are drained and sent back to your daddy in a nicely wrapped package. And she does own me, every fucking piece of me. I am hers, and she is mine. If you ever set foot in this bar again I will not be held responsible for what I do to you. Get the fuck out of my bar, and never come back here, fucking bitch." I pronounced the last two words so that they sunk in, so she would never forget. I actually threw her against the wall and watched as she lay in a crumpled mess on the floor.

Pam emerged from the office in time to see the blond hair go flying and she just gave me her death stare. Another woman she would need to Glamour. So what if my attitude sucked? My wife fucking left me, fuck her.

**SPOV-**

"Claudine, you don't understand. I am going to get him killed. I am going to bring his final death right to our door step. How could I live with myself knowing that I brought that to him?" I was crying and rambling.

"Sookie, you can't carry this and put this all on yourself. Eric did not live the life of a Saint before you met him. Quite the opposite. You have done nothing but bring him happiness and some sort of normalcy. I think that you are being crazy." What was she talking about? It's not like she had been Eric's number one fan.

"Are you not listening to me? I could be the end of his 1000+ year existence. Me, Sookie Stackhouse. He doesn't deserve that. He needs to be with someone that is normal, not someone that evil, creepy Supes want to own." I shook a little when I said the word own.

"What are you talking about? What happened exactly in Las Vegas? Last night you were all gung ho to save Eric, bring him home, and live happily ever after. I needed to leave my warm and toasty room at my very romantic inn in Vermont to come and check on you. Now, you're leaving him and you don't want to be with him anymore? Something has definitely happened, so start talking." I wasn't sure if I was ready to tell her about what had went on, but how else would I explain my sudden turn around.

"Let's just say that I found something out last night that changed everything. It sort of put my and Eric's entire world into perspective." I looked at her, hoping that would satisfy her curiosity.

"And that would be…?" No such luck.

"Will you promise not to tell Niall" I looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"No." She didn't even think about it.

"Then I'm not going to tell you." I spat words back at her, crossing my arms over my chest like I was child not getting what she wanted.

"Fine, then hold on to your hat honey because I'm about to drop you directly on to the dance floor at Fangtasia. Good luck getting out of that one, and good luck explaining to the Viking why you're leaving him." She raised her arms in the air as if she was going to perform some type of spell.

"No! I'll tell you. Please, don't send me back just yet. I'll tell you." My eyes were clenched shut, arms sheltering my head in a protective cocoon.

"Alright, spill."

"Bitch" I said it under my breath.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Nothing, can I get a drink or something. Do y'all have cocktails here?" I needed something to take the edge off. In a matter of seconds Claudine was handing me something fruity, it had a little pink umbrella in it. "Um, thanks." I eyed it suspiciously.

"They're delicious, now, what happened?" She gave me a reassuring smile and a pat on the shoulder.

"Felipe De Castro happened. When I got to the palace I saw Eric. He had been tortured and he was bound to a chair by silver and these sword like things. It was awful, the hardest thing I have ever seen. He just looked, hurt. But, I got what I wanted, which was Felipe in a room with a few witnesses." I stopped and took a few long sips from my tropical refreshment. "Wow, this really is good. Anyway, I planned on Felipe attacking me. That was what I was hoping for, the whole reason for the fairy blood. He did, he got me pretty good too. Took a good bite, got a good amount of blood. The Fae blood made him all sorts of crazy. I didn't think I was going to make it out alive."

"Sookie, I tried to tell you that it wasn't the best idea." She interrupted my story.

"Sshh. I know you did, I'm not in any mood for an I told you so." I drank the rest of my drink and motioned to her for another. She gave me an evil eye, but gave in. The next drink had a green umbrella. "As I was saying, he was pretty far gone. He started going on and on about how he knew all about my kidnapping and my rape and torture. He set the whole thing up, planned it all." I felt a tear fall down my face. "And he did it so he could set Eric up. He wanted a reason to kill Eric, because he wanted to stake his claim on me. He wanted to own me, have me, possess me. Eric was almost finally killed because someone else wanted to take me away from him. Now, tell me how I can possibly stay with him when that is never going to change? I am always going to have this disability. I can't make it a secret. Someone is always going to try to get to me through him, and it won't matter what they do to get me. I can't be responsible for his death." I sucked hard on the straw, drawing the sweet, fruity liquid into my body.

"Sookie, that is insane. You are acting crazy, very, very crazy. Don't you think that people and Supes have been trying to get to Eric for centuries? He is very powerful and very old. He is not innocent and he is certainly not powerless to defend himself. I have seen first hand what he can actually do to someone that has threatened him. Trust me, it is not pretty. I think that you are dealing with a great deal of stress, and it is causing you to act irrationally." She put her hand on mine and began rubbing.

"Are you calling me crazy?" I was suddenly feeling very sleepy.

"No, I'm just trying to make you understand that you are not acting like yourself. This explains a lot though. If Felipe was behind all of this, he probably hired some help. Who knows what or who he hired, but I would be willing to bet that he had a witch in his pocket. She probably put a spell over the area, making you stand out to the abductor. Making the parking lot safe for him to grab you. That would explain why I couldn't sense the danger you were in until it was too late. I'm sorry Sookie. I'm sorry that happened to you. And, I'm sorry that I needed to drug you." What did she just say?

"What? What are you talking about?" I was shooting daggers at her.

"You will not be hurt. I needed to give you something to help put things in perspective. You will see the truth, not what you believe to be the truth. I am confident that things will look different to you when you wake. You know that I would never do anything to you that would cause you harm. Just rest, all you need to do is rest." I couldn't help it, I wanted to strangle her and pummel her with my fists, but my eyes were so heavy. I was being pulled under by the umbrella drink poison.

I curled into a ball and just let myself fall asleep, promising that I would have some very harsh words for my cousin when I woke up. How dare she put something in my body without my consent? Who gives her the right to decide what I should and shouldn't see? I didn't appoint her my guardian angel, it just sort of happened. That reminded me, I was going to have some pretty harsh words for Niall too. I'm done with all this Supe shit. This is why I can't be with Eric, why I'm such a danger to him.

Eric, just the thought of him made my medicated mind feel calmer. I knew I was asleep, but my mind felt more awake than ever. I could see him, smell him, I could even almost feel his smooth, cool skin. I kept hearing his voice in my mind. We were just talking, talking about nothing, and talking about everything. While my body got the rest it needed, my mind got the clarity it searched for.

Where I was seeing danger earlier, I was now seeing serenity. Where I saw evil, I now saw peace. The world that I saw just hours earlier was now replaced with his presence. He was searching for me, calling me, needing me. He was just as lost as me, and he was not seeing me the way that I saw myself. He was not seeing me as the mortal that would destroy the immortal. He was seeing me as the completion to his puzzle, the key to his lock, the answer to all his questions.

I had been away from him for hours, yet to me it felt like a lifetime. We were not torn apart by rules, politics, aggression. We were separated because I was a coward. I was afraid to let myself lose him, afraid that someone else could have so much control over my life. If I have learned anything in the recent months, it is that I have no control. I might as well accept it, have the courage to handle the tough stuff, and fight like hell.

My mind floated in between our past and our future. I dreamed the way that a little girl dreams, about Happily Ever After's. I saw the truth. The truth that he was my past, my present, and my future. He was everything, and I was everything to him.

I was never going to be able to get these hours back. I was never going to be able to make him understand the reason that I ran. All I could hope was that I could show him how much I loved him, and how sorry I was. In the span of a lifetime, a human lifetime, hours are insignificant, but to me, these lost hours were the most regrettable. To him, in the span of his eternal lifespan, these hours may seem like only a blink of an eye. But, I have a feeling that this was going to be the longest blink of his life. And for that, I will be eternally sorry.

I could feel my body tossing and turning. I have absolutely no idea how long the drink kept me asleep, but I knew that I wanted to wake up. I wanted to go home, I wanted to see him, hold him, love him. I wanted him, and everything that came along with that. I heard my body call out to him, desperate to find him in its unconscious state.

I felt Claudine's hand brush against my face, and I heard her humming something. It was the sweetest sound, it wasn't a melody, but it sounded like the words to a hymn, or prayer. I could sense my eyes opening, felt them fluttering. I looked at her and she smiled, knowing that I was back with her.

"Do you forgive me?" She was quiet and desperate for my forgiveness.

"How long was I actually asleep?" It felt like days, but it couldn't have been.

"You were only asleep for two hours. When your mind knows the truth, it doesn't take long to recognize it through the clouds." Her smile let me know that she was ready to help me get home.

"Do you think that you can help me get home? I really want to go home, I am so sorry that I left him. I would never hurt him, I would never leave him. I love him." I was crying, feeling more homesick than ever before.

"Of course I can. But, I'm afraid that I need to send you to where Eric is. He is not at home, honey. He is at work, from his attitude earlier he was in no mood to be alone. I will be bringing you to Fangtasia." I couldn't argue with her. I didn't want to go home to an empty house.

"Do you think you can do a little Fairy magic and make me a little more presentable En Route?" I giggled, hoping she would make me beautiful.

"Sure, I think we're through here."

I closed my eyes and held her hand. I knew that I wouldn't remember getting to Fangtasia, much like I didn't remember getting to her realm to begin with. When I opened my eyes I was still holding her hand, only standing under the security lights in the parking lot of the bar. She had done her magic, fixed my hair from tangled bed head, to smooth and sexy. My yoga pants and sweatshirt had been replaced with a good looking pair of black pants and a red V-neck, cotton sweater. She was even nice enough to upgrade my shoes.

I squeezed her hand and let go, knowing that I needed to walk in to him. She watched me as I walked through the door, making sure that I got inside ok. I met Pam's eyes and just nodded. She could tell how sorry I was, and I could see how relieved she was that I was there. We didn't say anything, we didn't need to. I glanced around the bar, hoping to find him. I felt his presence instantly and the hair on my body stood on end. I could feel the electricity in the air.

And then I saw him, sitting on the platform, shoulders hunched. His head jerked up as his eyes met mine. Just like the night before, it felt like time stood still. I was frozen in his glare, nothing around me mattered. I could feel the bass of the music vibrate through my body, but I couldn't hear it. He stood up and he seemed larger to me than he ever had before. I slowly walked towards him, unsure of what I was walking to. In one graceful step he was down off the platform and in front of me, making me a prisoner in his stare. I don't think I had taken a breath since I opened the door to go inside. I braced myself for the words that would come from his mouth. I prayed that he would forgive me.

**EPOV-**

I felt her, she was suddenly very near. She was coming back to me and she was scared. She was scared and she was nervous. I looked around and I saw her. She stood at the front door, looking at me. She had only been away for a few hours, but god I had missed her. She was walking towards me and I could feel the apprehension in her body.

Everything around me was stopping as I watched her practically float her way through the crowd of fucking assholes. I wanted to toss them aside, part them like the sea to give her space. She was walking slowly, I could feel how nervous she was, so I knew that I needed to meet her half way. I am nothing if not a man of compromise when it comes to her.

She stood before me, her eyes were fixed on mine and there was not a thing in that bar that mattered besides the two of us. I was so focused on her that I could no longer hear the useless noise of the humans, vampires, vermin. All I could do was look at her, unsure of what she was going to say.

I wanted to give her the opportunity to speak first, but for once in her life she seemed to be at a loss for words. I opened my mouth to speak, but I too stopped. Instead I acted. I grabbed her and kissed her like she had been gone for years. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her into me. I dove my tongue into her mouth and tried to drink in every part of her. I felt her hands come around my neck, and instinctively wrap into my hair.

I sighed into her mouth as I let myself become enraptured in her. I didn't care that people were probably drooling over our little display, all I wanted was her. She let me hold her, kiss her, embrace her. She pulled me into her, needing more. I picked her up and cradled her in my arms, never removing my mouth from hers.

I knew the layout of my bar so well that I didn't even have to look. I made it to my office and was settling us on the couch, still desperately seeking her. I could feel her hands searching for my body, roaming its contours, gripping its flesh. All I could feel was our love and our desire and lust through our bond. But she also was experiencing true desperation, she was desperate to have what she almost left behind. I was more than willing to remind her.

I finally pulled my lips away from hers and let my mouth find her neck, leaving wet, cool kisses all over her flesh. I bit at the spot behind her ear and got even harder as I heard her moan my name when I touched a fang to that soft spot. I wanted her more than I had wanted her before. She was digging her fingernails into my shoulders as I nipped at her neck and her chest.

She was tearing at my shirt, trying to work it over my head to get in contact with my skin. I was more than happy to help her out, and tore it from my body. It was just a Fangtasia T-shirt. Shit load more where that one came from. She lowered her head to my chest and kissed me, hard and rough. She let her teeth drag across the skin, leaving a trail of red, slightly raised skin as she did this. Fuck if she didn't know what I liked. She took my nipple in her mouth and sucked on it, making me cry out like a boy. She bit down on it and I almost came right there. She fucking paid the same attention to the other and I thought I was going to come undone.

I pulled that red sweater off her body and I have no idea where it landed. The bra did not fare so well. That ended up in two pieces, trash bound. I dove into her perfect breasts and went right for the kill. I drew blood instantly and smiled when I heard her scream my name. My dick was pulsing with wanting to be inside of her. While I sucked on her chest and pulled on her, I let my hand slide down.

I helped her shimmy out of her pants while she helped me out of mine. I went back for a searing kiss, happy to feel her tongue slide against mine. When I went back to her perfect chest I let my fingers roam and test her readiness. She was hot, slick, perfect. Feeling her in such a state made me moan just thinking about feeling myself inside of her. She was mine, fuck what happened earlier.

She had begun her own hand action and was thoughtfully stroking me. I fucking loved it when she touched me like that. She was so gentle, but so fucking firm when she wanted to be. She was perfect, I almost didn't want her to stop, almost. I moved out of the way and pulled her on top of me. I was seated on the couch with her straddling me. She looked in my eyes, still unable to say anything.

I thrust myself inside of her and watched as her eyes rolled back while she took all of me. When she opened her eyes she was still looking directly at me, intently. She rocked with me as I made love to her, holding my hands as they rested on her hips, guiding her body to its pleasure. She leaned in and kissed me, I thought I was going to fucking explode from the intensity of it all. I didn't want to pull away from that kiss, but I wanted to watch her as I fucked her. I wanted to see her eyes as she realized how lost I was without her, even for those few hours.

I increased the speed of my thrusts and she needed to wrap her arms around my neck. I could feel her climax start to build and I knew that I wanted to come with her, but not yet. I wanted to prolong this, enjoy this, get lost in this. I finally found my voice.

"My love, please, please, never leave me like that again. I am lost without you. Oh God, I am lost without you. Oh, Oh, You are everything to me. Everything Sookie." I could feel my own release coming, it was too much.

"Never, oh God Eric. I'll never leave you again. I'm sorry, Oh, God, Eric, I'm So Sorry. Oh, Ah, I'll never leave you again. I love you, I love you. I am yours, always." As soon as I heard her say that she was mine I lost it. I exploded inside of her as I felt her muscles tighten around my dick. Girl knows how to make me come.

I grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her to my mouth, not caring that she was trying to get her breathing back under control. I shoved my tongue down her throat and tried to devour her entire face. She was mine, I was damn well going to show her.

TBC…


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N-Thanks so much to all for the fantastic reviews. Again, I wish I could respond to all of you, but there is just not enough time in the day! I wonder how much more we could all get done if a day was 26 hours and not 24...Hmmm? **

**Anyway, I would never have our Sookie gone for an extended amount of time? Really, who would leave a hot Viking? Of course she needed to come to her senses…crazy girl.**

**SPOV-**

I felt like I was home. I was cradled in his arms, safe, happy, relieved. We hadn't even spoken yet, but I could feel how happy he was. I was so sorry that I had left, so sorry that I had ever doubted myself. I actually felt my body humming as he rubbed my shoulders.

I kissed his chest and rubbed my hands over his arms, just immersed in the feeling of his skin against my own. I had only been gone for hours, but it felt like days. Emotionally, it felt like I had been gone forever. And now, now all I felt was relief. Relief to be home. That was what he was, home.

I looked up at him and saw his amazingly blue eyes staring down at me. For a moment I felt a little self conscious, but I smiled up at him, happy to see his contentment.

"Eric, I never…" His lips were on mine in order to cut me off. He kissed me softly, delicately.

"My love, we will never speak of this again. I know that this was not your will. I know that your love for me is as strong as my love for you. I have never doubted you. The only thing that matters is that you are here with me right now, nothing else. Just you and me, us. Consider tonight a momentary lapse in judgment." He gazed down at me and gave me a wicked smile.

I felt overwhelmed with the fact that he was so willing to move on, but I still wanted him to know how sorry I was. I just couldn't not tell him.

"OK, I understand. We won't talk about it. But Eric, I have to say one thing first, please." I looked at him, waiting for him to be alright with my words. He nodded his head and rested it on my shoulder.

"I was more afraid of losing you today than I ever have been before. I did something so incredibly stupid, and for that I will be eternally sorry. I love you Eric. There is nothing more important to me than us and our life together, I am so, so sorry." There was a single tear falling from my eye, and he rubbed it away with his cool, strong thumb.

"I love you too. Now, no more talk of your little adventure. All is forgotten, Dear One." I heard Pam outside start to yell something, but it was too late, Eric's door was crashing open and Bill was running in.

"Northman, I got them all. I just needed…Oh my god, I'm so sorry." I was scrambling out of his arms, trying to find anything to cover my naked body. It's not like Bill hasn't seen me naked before, but come on.

My entire body must have been flushed with embarrassment because I could feel how hot I suddenly was, and it was not the kind of hot I was fifteen minutes ago. I grabbed at anything I could find, my pants, piece of bra, Eric's shirt.

Pam was enjoying this situation a little too much, her sly smile painfully obvious. She walked over to the wardrobe chest and pulled out a shirt for me and handed Eric his pants. Sometimes I really wish I was as open and free spirited as Eric. He just stood in front of me, trying to allow me to hide behind his huge body.

"Compton, do you not knock? What is going on?" He looked at me to make sure that I was decent and I stepped out from behind him.

"Hey Bill, nice of you to announce yourself." I did not let my annoyance hide in my tone.

"I'm sorry Sookie, I needed to discuss something with Eric. Right before I left you weren't here so I just assumed that he would still be alone. I had no idea that you two would be in here…" He cast his eyes to the floor and adjusted his belt on his jeans.

"Well, next time knock ok?" I smiled at him, still blissfully happy and too satisfied to be angry at him. "Eric, do you want me to go?" I looked to him, unsure of what he wanted me to do, not knowing if this was private political stuff.

"Absolutely not, this involves you my love. You go no where, please, sit." He pulled me down so I was nestled against him. "So, what do you have Bill?"

"Well, I needed to go home to get one of my program's, the one that specializes in other Supes, not just Vampires. I got all of them, twelve in total. Twelve of them Eric. It took me a little longer to find the last one, she covered her tracks pretty well. I'm almost sick knowing." He was noticeably nervous.

"Enough with the drama Bill. Hand me the names, I want to get moving on this." He grabbed the paper out of Bill's hands and glanced at the names on the page. I could feel aggression and anger through the bond. I didn't know what these names were, but it was not good.

"Um, guys, what is going on? What does this have to do with me?" I looked at Eric with confused eyes. He kissed my head and took my hands in his.

"Sookie, this list contains everything I need for justice. The promise I made to you last night, this list brings me that much closer to getting it." I instantly knew what he meant and I felt my stomach lurch.

That white piece of paper had the names of twelve people that ruined my life, took part in terrorizing me, however small their piece was. He felt me tense and pulled me closer to him. Twelve people, all it took was twelve people to completely destroy one girls entire life.

I looked at him and I could feel myself trying to hold back the tears. I didn't want to cry in front of all of them. I didn't want to show them that this was grabbing me around the neck and strangling me. I fought to take a breath, fought to keep control, the control that they still held.

"Let me see it." I held my hand out, waiting for him to give it to me. He looked at me, unsure of my request. "Eric, give me the damn piece of paper." I stared at him, letting him know that I was ready to duke it out if I had to.

He silently handed me the document, looked at me and shook his head gently. I looked to Bill and Pam and tried to see if they were expecting me to collapse into a ball of leaking, sobbing, tears. I read each one off, not recognizing a single name. It listed their addresses and occupations. Some were from Monroe, actual Police officers. Felipe must have paid well for the inside information on Oliver. The rest were from Vegas, his henchmen, vampires and weres. Used as messengers to curry bribes and documents back and forth. Little did they know that just carrying a envelope full of money would end their lives.

And then I saw it, her name. I read it once, twice, three times. I shook my head, making sure I wasn't still a little drowsy from my umbrella cocktails. Next to her name it simply said Monroe…Witch.

I looked at Bill and had so many questions. My eyes were full of angst, worry, anger. Eric knew that I had reached her name and wrapped his arms around me, trying to comfort me.

"Sookie, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. You know that I would never." I held my hand up, begging him to stop.

"Just stop, I need a minute here. Why? Why Bill?" My voice finally broke, my hands started to shake. The witch, the name…Selah Pumphrey.

**EPOV- **

I held her and felt like I could have stayed in my office, wrapped around her for the rest of our existence. Just having her with me, feeling her, knowing that she was home was a comfort.

I felt her rubbing her hands against my chest and all I could do was stare at her magnificent self. She was fucking mesmerizing me, like she had taken hold of me. She must have felt me watching her because she looked up and blushed. She looked like a little girl that just got caught stealing. I couldn't not love this woman.

She had so much emotion flowing through her. She was a mix of regret and love and relief. I knew that she wanted to discuss her adventure, but I was already past it. I knew that she was scared, afraid of our life. I knew that she had panicked and had a moment of weakness. I also knew that Pam had been right, she is only human. My human, my life.

The minute she started to speak I cut her off with a kiss. That was always my favorite way to keep her from talking. It wasn't lustful, it wasn't possessive, it was just…perfect.

I just didn't want to fucking rehash this with her, I wanted to move on. It was over, done with. The only thing that mattered to me was that she was home and I knew with all of my undead heart that she was truly sorry. Nothing else fucking mattered, nothing.

I told her that I wanted to move on, get past it, never speak of it again. I could see her face soften slightly, but I could still feel her need to speak. Sometimes I really wish she was mute. I was going to hurt, but I nodded to her to go on. The emotions that were behind her words as she told me how sorry she was stung. I could feel how much she was hurting, and now I could hear it in her words.

All I wanted to do was take that hurt away, even though I still hurt from the whole experience. But I needed to be stronger than that. I needed to fucking stand tall and suck it up. She made a mistake, I have made a few thousand. I saw the tear fall from her eye, softly, slowly. I took my thumb and brushed it away. It felt like I was brushing away everything that had happened.

Before I knew what was happening fucking Compton was barging through my office door. I felt Sookie jump, reaching for anything to cover up with. I was beyond pissed that he had interrupted such an intimate moment, but he seemed so fucking proud of himself. I jumped up along with Sookie and instinctively shielded her.

He was shaking a piece of paper and yelling that he had all of it, and then he saw her…all of her. He's lucky he had enough sense to drop his eyes to the ground and not let his lustful, god damned eyes linger. Pam on the other hand was more than amused. Now I had two frisky vamps to handle.

Pam had the sense top grab Sookie something to cover up with, and tossed me my pants. It really never occurred to me that I was standing there in all my glory. Sookie berated him for a moment, but I could tell that she was still feeling overwhelmed from our make up sex to care. She still smelled of sex and I could have taken her right there, witnesses be damned.

But Bill was standing there, proof in hand and I was more than curious about what that paper held. My dick got hard for a reason other than Sookie, and that would be the sweet satisfaction of revenge. I could almost smell it reeking off that paper. Soon, it would be soon that she would have justice. Justice my way that is.

She looked at me and asked if she should leave, and for a moment I thought it might be best. This was all about her, her life, her torture, her loss of her self. She had every right to be there. I told her to stay and pulled her close to me, wanting to shelter her from the information that she was about to receive.

"Well, I needed to go home to get one of my program's, the one that specializes in other Supes, not just Vampires. I got all of them, twelve in total. Twelve of them Eric. It took me a little longer to find the last one, she covered her tracks pretty well. I'm almost sick knowing." Bill was nervous, something was certainly off and he was starting to fucking freak me out a little. I pushed him along, chastised him for the prolonged drama. I snatched the paper out of his hand and read the names.

Nothing unusual, vamps, weres, usual suspects. I expected some Police officers, they would have needed to feed Felipe the inside information on the Shifter. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. And then I saw the name and was furious. Anger seeped through me and I could feel Bill shift where he stood.

Sookie's voice broke my rage, asking what was going on. I had completely forgot to clue her in on why we were all fucking staring at a paper with a list of names. She could handle this, I had told her last night that I planned on making sure everyone involved was punished with death. All I was doing was following up, getting the ball rolling, being proactive.

"Sookie, this list contains everything I need for justice. The promise I made to you last night, this list brings me that much closer to getting it." She tensed and I was well aware that she knew exactly what I was speaking of. I felt her struggle to hold herself together. She was trying to be so fucking strong, not wanting to have another breakdown, not wanting to relinquish the small amount of control that she had regained.

She demanded the list of names, twice. I did not want to give it to her. That last name was not going to sit well, as it was I wanted to tear Bill to shred's. I didn't know how she was going to react, how she was going to handle yet another blow? Fucking impossible, it's impossible to handle these kind of odd's. I wanted to scoop her up and lock her in our house. Make her forget everything, run away. But, she would never allow that. She is stronger than me, stronger than I could ever hope to be. I handed her the names and waited. I waited for something, anything, everything.

It took a couple of minutes while she read it over, contemplating their lives and their parts in destroying hers. I could feel her sadness though our bond, but it was not sadness for herself, it was sadness for these strangers. She knew that they would soon meet their end, and she would not do anything to stop it.

And then I felt it, shock, anger, pure rage. She was so angry and so confused. I could see her eyes, they were so wide, so blue. She shook her head, like she was fucking doubting the black and white that was in her hands. I knew what she was feeling because I felt it too. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to do anything to help her. All she could do was stare at Bill.

He began mumbling some fucking shit about not knowing. Of course he didn't know. That doesn't change anything, that doesn't make it go away asshole. She was shaking she was so hurt and angry. I heard her ask Why. If only I could have given her the answers. I would have done anything to have helped her in that moment.

**SPOV-**

"I need to get out of here. I need to go home. Eric, I need to go home, can you take me home? Please, I need to go home." I was off the couch and trying to get my things together. They all just stared at me.

"Of course my love. I will just finish with Bill and Pam and we will go." I just wanted to leave and I wanted to go now.

"Please, quickly. I need to go home." I must have sounded like raving lunatic. Eric looked at me and knew that I was about to come undone.

"Compton, Pam, we will discuss this matter later. I suggest you both brush up on your fighting skills. Bill, we are so not done here." His voice sent shivers down my back. I was as dressed as I could be and practically running out the back entrance. All I wanted to do was be out of that room, away from everyone.

Again, blindsided again. Why is everyone trying to hurt me? I must have really been terrible in another life, because I certainly do not deserve this. Selah? I knew she was not by biggest fan by any stretch of the imagination. I just assumed that it was because she knew that Bill still had feelings for me. Is it possible that she searched him out? Did she start to date him in order to get closer to me? Am I being paranoid? Am I just projecting my sorry life onto him?

I heard Eric coming behind me but I didn't stop to wait for him. I went straight for his car, wanting to shelter myself in its confines. When he folded himself in the driver's seat I watched him take an unnecessary breath and look at me.

"I will deal with this situation, do not worry my love." Situation? She was a situation?

"Eric, Bill's ex-girlfriend is not a situation, she is a lot more than a situation. She is apparently an accomplice to whatever sick game this is. My god, she knew that was going to happen to me, she knew." I started to raise my voice, but heard it bounce off the dashboard. I quickly went back to an agitated whisper. "Can we please just get out of here?' I turned my head and looked out the window, looking at the crowds of people pouring into the bar.

"Yes, we will go home. Sookie, she will pay, just like the rest of them. No one will be granted my mercy, this is their own doing." I knew he was right. He would not show a single one of those people any mercy, any sympathy. None of them showed it to me.

We drove in relative silence. He let his hand rest on my thigh and he rubbed it, calming me, settling my nerves. I was thankful for the calm he sent, it was the only thing that kept me from screaming. I put my hand on top of his and squeezed, letting him know that I appreciated his sentiment.

We pulled in to the garage and I was so happy to be home. I blew out all of the air in my lungs and practically lunged for the car door, but in typical Eric fashion, he grabbed me and kissed me before I could move. He pulled me close to him, letting his arms wrap around my chest and back. He was hugging me as if he was trying to shelter me from the cruel fact that everything just seemed to be stacked against me.

I let him hold me and didn't even try to break free. I felt his tongue part my lips and let my mouth open, allowing him in to capture me. There was no lust between us, no hunger. At that moment the only thing passing between us was understanding. We each knew what the other was experiencing, and we both knew what was to come.

I was going to have to deal with the aftermath of Selah helping Felipe, and Eric was going to have to organize and follow through on his macabre promise. We both needed to accept the fact that Bill was also now permanently involved in this situation, as Eric so plainly called it.

When I finally pulled my lips away from his, I pressed my forehead against his own and smiled.

"Eric, when all of this is over and done with, do you think we can maybe go away for a while? Someplace no one can find us? Somewhere that doesn't involve secret plots and secret identities? Maybe someplace like…Vermont? I hear it's very romantic and cozy?" I kissed him quickly and got out of the car, not waiting for a response.

I looked around the garage and something was certainly missing. Big garage, lots of space for vehicle's, yet only one parked here?

"Um, sweetie? I guess I was going on the wrong assumption, but where is my car?" I eyed him very suspiciously. I saw him shift his feet.

"What assumption were you going on lover?" Avoidance? That is my trick.

"Well I assumed that you had found my car and driven it back here. You do have the ability to take flight, so that would not have been a problem, getting back to your car, or your previous location. Obviously I'm missing something? Do we need to go get my car, is it still where I left it?" He was definitely looking uncomfortable.

"Sookie, honey…I found your car on the side of the road. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there seems to have been an accident. Your automobile suffered a great deal of damage and I'm sorry to say that it is a total loss. I think that a rogue gang wanted it for parts, or perhaps just to be juvenile and mischievous. It was destroyed, we should contact the proper authorities and file a report." Are you kidding me? I could feel how smug and victorious he was through the bond.

"You are so full of shit. Rogue gang my ass…are you going to stand there and lie to me? Do you really think that I believe for one second that you didn't wreck my car. You hated that car, you are such an ass." He couldn't even hide the smirk that was streaking across his face at this point.

"Fine, yes I did ruin your car. I hated it and you need a new one. It seemed to be the right thing to do, it's too late now, nothing you can do about it" Ass. Pure. Ass.

"So you admit it! Eric, you wrecked my car!" I was screaming at him.

"Lover, you left our marriage." Smile wide on his face, me just blinking. Blink, blink, blink. I stared at him for about a minute, just looking at him.

"Call it even?" I raised my hand in the air, he gave me a high five.

"You got it." He picked me up and carried me inside.

**EPOV-**

Yup, she was going to lose it. She was running around like a chicken that had just lost its fucking head. Begging to go home, trying to get her clothes together. She sounded like one of those obnoxious jungle birds that learns how to speak, only they repeat the same fucking thing over and over again. I got it, she wanted to go home.

I didn't blame her, really. I wanted to fucking get out of there just as badly, only my reason was because I was about to unleash a certain amount of hostility on Bill. He brought that woman to Bon Temps. He dated her, fucked her, paraded her under Sookie's nose. For all I know her jealous rage could be the only reason she agreed to Felipe's plan. But, Bill did say she made it difficult to be found, did not want to be discovered. Did she just not want her identity known, or the practice of her being a witch?

I told Pam and Bill that we would deal with things later as hard as I could, letting them both know to not make any plans for that night. As soon as I could get Sookie home and calmed down enough I had every intention of working out all of the details. I wanted every one of them terminated within two days time. Two short days.

I could feel how angry she was as we drove home. I tried to comfort her and sooth her, but I knew that she was having a difficult time. I could almost feel her body trying to hold back, trying to remain calm. As I rubbed her leg I could tell that she was appreciating my calm demeanor, and just because I have a dick, I was hoping she was wanting to appreciate me a little more once we got home. Yes, I know she had just be dealt another fucking kick in the ass, but I can't help it, every time I touch her it just happens.

We pulled in to the garage and she went to go inside. I was having no part of that, so I used my speed to gather her in my arms, letting her know that I was there to protect her. I kissed her in a way that let her know that I knew she was scared, knew she was angry, knew she needed me. I was going to need her too. I may get hard at the idea of a good, bloody fight, but it takes an emotional toll. It takes a lot of planning and mentally drains you. But the rewards, oh the rewards. I slipped my tongue in her mouth and just got lost in the feeling of the warm, moist softness.

I felt a loss as she pulled away from me, but couldn't help but smile when she pressed her little head against mine. She looked at me and managed a little laugh. She wanted to go away, and that was fine by me, anything to get her away from this shit. But what the fuck is in Vermont? Maple Syrup? I can't even eat. Who the fuck does she know that would suggest she go to Vermont? Whatever, I'm sure I could occupy her in other ways.

While I pondered the idea of hiking boots and flannel shirts, she was getting out of the car. And then I felt her curiosity…her car. I watched as she looked around. I could feel her slight confusion and a touch of annoyance. Wait, add a little anger to that.

She questioned me, and I thought it best to deflect the question right back to her.

"What assumption were you going on lover?" Like I didn't know. Did she really think that I would drive that piece of shit excuse for a car back to my house. Nope, never again.

She gave me some explanation about me being able to fly, so she just assumed that I would fly to her car, drive the piece of shit back here, and then just fly on back to where ever I was. Um…that would be a negative my love. I couldn't help it, I needed to have just a wee bit of fun, after all, she had tortured me with her little…adventure.

I fed her some lines about a gang destroying it, scrapping it for parts. I even thossed in a bit about fucking going through the proper authorities. It took all I had not to roll on the floor laughing. The fucking police, yeah, that's a good one. I could feel her blood pressure rising and I wanted to mount her right there. She was tapping her foot and she didn't even know it.

She can be so gorgeous when she's pissed. And let me tell you, right now she was plenty gorgeous. Her chest was starting to heave and I almost thought she was going to haul off and hit me.

"You are so full of shit. Rogue gang my ass…are you going to stand there and lie to me? Do you really think that I believe for one second that you didn't wreck my car. You hated that car, you are such an ass." I tried to not grin at her, but it was useless, the look on her face was fucking priceless. I just couldn't fucking stand that car.

"Fine, yes I did ruin your car. I hated it and you need a new one. It seemed to be the right thing to do, it's too late now, nothing you can do about it" Yup, nothing you can do about it now lover.

"So you admit it! Eric, you wrecked my car!" Oh she was pissed. She was screaming, and I couldn't bring myself to care about that fucking car.

"Lover, you left our marriage." Smile wide on my face, and she just looked at me. I held the trump card in this game. It was kind of cheating, but what the hell, I am a vampire. This could go one of two ways, she's either going to slap me and run away, angry and hurt. Or, she's going to continue to stare at me and blink like she was about to lose an eye.

"Call it even?" She actually lifted her hand in the air, admitting defeat, walking away.

"You got it." I gave here the stupid, human ritual of a high five, and I scooped her up in my arms. To the victor go the spoils.

TBC…


	28. Chapter 28

**SPOV-**

He was the king at fighting dirty. But, he was right. I had left him high and dry. I probably would have destroyed something of his too if the roles had been reversed. Hmm, I wonder what he would have done if I had cracked up his precious corvette? I decided not to act on that one.

Once we got inside I got lost in the moment. Eric was feeling all sorts of victorious, and I have to admit, it was kind of cute. We got in the kitchen and I just let my legs wrap around him, causing us both to go tumbling to the cold floor. It probably wasn't the most sanitary of places, but we made love right there. Oh, not the most comfortable either.

When we were both finished, and happily satisfied, I knew that we needed to talk about this whole Selah thing. I had no idea that she was a witch. I wondered what Amelia was going to think when I told her. She was pretty deep into the whole witch scene, if anyone could get the dirt it was her.

Eric held me for a couple of minutes, but I could feel his restlessness, his need to start acting on his carnal desire. He had lust running through him, but it was not the usual kind of lust that I invoke. This was his need, his thirst for others blood. He was getting more riled up by the second, I could only imagine that he was picturing their deaths in his head.

"Eric, will you promise to be careful? Will you make sure that nothing happens to you? I know that you think that you are doing this for me, but this is for you too. You need to do this for yourself as much as you're doing it for me, and that's ok. But, you can't do anything that will get you killed, or caught." I couldn't stomach the idea of him going into some crazy mission for me, and not coming home. Isn't that the whole reason for me killing Felipe, to prevent him from taking Eric away from me?

"Lover, have you not noticed that I am very good at getting what I want? Right now I want their blood, and I want to feel the life escape out of their bodies. I will make sure that I get that chance, I will not let anything get in my way. I will be sure to cover my tracks and be silent when the time comes." He was looking directly in my eyes, but it felt like he was looking right through me. I knew that he was doing his best to separate the husband Eric from the evil Eric. I'm glad he was.

"I know, I just want you to be careful. You gonna call Pam and Bill? I know that y'all have a lot to go over?" I was pulling myself off the kitchen floor, brushing the small particles of dirt from my legs. I needed to do a better job sweeping this place.

"Yes, we do have a lot to discuss. Will it bother you if we talk about it here? I know this is not really your thing, the whole vampire revenge game." He smiled at me and swatted at my butt.

"No, I don't mind. I may even have a few pointers for you. Have you not noticed that I have taken a few vamps out myself, mister?" I used his own words from moments ago.

"Ah, you are correct. I should remember that the next time you are upset with me. Make sure all sharp objects are not within your reach." I watched him reach for his phone and knew that Bill and Pam would be descending upon my house in just a little while.

I took a few minutes to go upstairs and take a quick shower. I wanted to wash this horrible day away. Watch the stupidity roll off me and disappear down the drain. If only all of my problems could be washed away with a little body wash. I looked around the bedroom and had to smiled. Just like when Eric had left me to go to Vegas, he had left the room untouched. Bed unmade, clothes strewn about. Either we both hate cleaning our room, or we have the same, sappy, sentimental minds.

I turned the shower on and knew I was not about to be accosted by my overly horny husband. He was way too involved in getting his plan underway. Sometimes it's just nice to relax and unwind. I needed this time to think about her. I would never willfully and maliciously hurt someone in such a way, even if they were dating my ex.

I guess I was jealous when Bill first brought her into Merlotte's. No, that's a lie. I was so jealous that I could have spit nails. But, the pain was still so fresh. I hated her the minute I saw her, but I would never have hurt her. Listened in to her thoughts, yes. Wished her a painful and embarrassing fall, sure. But take part in the kidnapping and torture of another woman, never.

I scrubbed my hair and felt myself getting angrier by the minute. My poor scalp was going to be squeaky clean and sore by the time I was through. All I could picture in my mind was her face. Her stupid, skinny bitch face. Something inside of me was snapping, and I'm ashamed to say I was going to let it snap. I wanted her to suffer, and I wanted her to die. I wanted her to know that she could not and would not break me.

I finished the assault on my head and finished my shower. I dried off and quickly got dressed, leaving my hair wet. When I walked downstairs I knew the other's were already there. I could here Eric and Bill arguing. Eric was going up one side of him and down the other. Bill couldn't get a word in edge wise.

I turned the corner just in time to see Eric grab Bill by the throat and shove him up against the wall of our dining room. Both their fangs were extended and the air around them was crackling with tension.

"Eric, what are you doing? Stop this right now." I yelled, hoping he would release his grip. Pam was obviously not going to be any help as she rolled her eyes at me as I tried to convince Eric to let him go,

"Pam, what is going on? Don't just stand there, help me?" I looked at her thoroughly irritated with her willingness to just watch and wait.

She looked from me to them, and back to me, huffed for no reason what so ever, and finally walked over to Eric. She tapped him on the shoulder and looked over at me, unenthusiastically.

"Master, your Bonded seems uncomfortable with this turn of events. Eric, Eric, just let him go and finish it later. It could be more fun when there are less, squeamish folks around." She eyed me again, unhappy about my presence.

Eric flinched a little and I saw his eyes dart my way, noticing the grim look on my face. My eyes pleaded with him to let Bill go. I knew that this argument had to have been over Selah, and I knew in my heart that Bill was in no way responsible for this happening. I could see Eric's fingers visibly soften, and Bill's feet were once again touching the ground.

"I swear, if I have to tell you two one more time to knock it off..." I pointed my finger at both of them, daring them to challenge my words. Bill hung his head and Eric went to say something. I narrowed my eyes at him and he closed his mouth.

The two men stepped away from each other and Eric came over and kissed me on the top of the head, inhaling the smell of the shampoo.

"Now, I'm pretty pissed off and I want to know what the plan is." I pulled a chair out from the table and sat down. I really didn't think that I could handle the true course of action, but I could put on a tough face.

**EPOV-**

In the heat of the moment, nothing seemed better than the fucking kitchen floor. I felt her wrap her legs around me and knew we were both going down. I didn't think she would mind, so I didn't bother moving us to a more comfortable location. I was so happy that she wasn't holding my little cheap trick against me.

If I didn't know any better, I'd think she was actually enjoying my celebration. She certainly was about to reap the fucking benefits. I was on fire for her and I was hungry for battle. I let the desire the kill transform into my desire to fuck, and I think I covered it up pretty well.

After I had satisfied her completely, twice, I just laid there with her. I'm sure the floor was cold to her, but didn't bother me in the least. What did bother me was the feeling of fear that was suddenly coming off her.

She began talking of getting caught, or worse, being killed. But as usual, she surprised me. She knew I was killing for her, but she knew I was doing it for me too, and she was ok with that? My Sookie, ok with my need to kill, feed, inflict horrendous amounts of pain? Well now, I was thinking she just might need another round of satisfaction.

I assured her that I knew how to take care of myself and that would not happen. I knew how to plan an ambush as well as anyone, it was one of my specialties. I could no longer hide the bloodlust that was taking over my body. It was useless to try and cover it up, it was a part of me and she knew it.

I explained to her that I would see to the small details, ensure our safety. As I told her all of these things, I found myself speaking right to her, but not. It felt like I was in a dream, or having an out of body experience. I was with her, talking to her, holding her, but I wasn't. I was starting to separate the vampire from the man, it was just how it had to be. It's a fucking blessing for me to do that, be one in the same.

Just as I was ready to satisfy her again, she started to get up. She was saying something about Bill and Pam and I remembered that I should get them here sooner than later to get things under way. Plus I had the whole matter of Bill's ex whore to deal with.

I watched her brush herself clean and glare at the floor, maybe I should hire a maid? I was feeling positively giddy with the anticipation of a good battle, and swung at her ass, hoping to land my shot. Actually, I was hoping to hear the wonderful sound of my hand across her ass. Like music to my ears. I asked her if she minded Pam and Bill being in the house, helping me set my plan to action.

"No, I don't mind. I may even have a few pointers for you. Have you not noticed that I have taken a few vamps out myself, mister?" God she made me laugh, she was listening to me earlier.

"Ah, you are correct. I should remember that the next time you are upset with me. Make sure all sharp objects are not within your reach." I turned my back to her and smiled, grabbed my phone and made the necessary calls. I knew she had gone upstairs to be alone, she needed some time to unwind. I thought carefully about how I wanted to handle Compton. My temper was not going to be easily controlled, not with the recent goings on.

I paced the floors of my house, waiting for their arrival. I had barked at Pam to see that Felicia handled the closing of the bar, and to made damn sure she knew where to contact me should we get any unexpected visitors. One can't be too careful these days.

I could sense Sookie's frustration, I figured that she must have been going over all of the little details in her head. I didn't interrupt her, if she needed me I would have felt the urgency through our bond.

When Pam and Bill finally arrived I was irritated and annoyed since it felt like I had been waiting for fucking hours. It was probably a matter of minutes, half hour at best, but that was too long. I snapped at them instantly, making my irritability known.

"Do you think it's wise to fucking make me wait?" It was a rhetorical question, they both silently walked past me and into the dining room.

Pam was the first to speak and I could sense that she was just as on edge as me.

"Eric, tell us what you want from us, and we will see that it gets done." Her eyes were as blue as the sky and her desire to fight was evident.

"What I want is to eliminate anyone that dared to fucked with her life. I want it done, and I want it done now. And I want to now why Compton's piece of trash, ex-girlfriend is on that list of names." I turned my eyes to Bill.

"I don't know, I would have never guessed that she was involved in something like this." He was quiet, cold, distant. It was like he was trying to pull that answer from somewhere far away. His eyes never met mine.

"I don't know? The best you can come up with is I don't know? Bill, she was hired by De Castro, paid by De Castro, she fucking had a hand in this and all you can say is, I Don't Know?" I could sense that he was not telling me something and that was only pissing me off more.

"We never discussed our political system, we never discussed witch craft. We never really talked about anything other than normal things, the real estate market, stock investments, vampire rights. Eric, we certainly never talked about her being a witch, or if she was a good witch or a bad witch." His sarcasm pushed me over the edge and I was ready to let lose on him.

"But I'm sure you talked about Sookie. I'm sure you talked about your past relationship with her, given the fact that you paraded her in and out of the Shifter's bar night after night. Tell me Bill, why did the two of you break up again? Was it because she was so fucking sick and tired of looking at your sorry ass, moping around every night? Depressed because the woman you love had moved on? Did you tell her how you betrayed her, hurt her?" Bill was growing agitated… excellent.

"Do not taunt me. There is no way I could have known she was involved in this. There is no way I could have prevented this." His fangs ran down and I knew he was just as heated as me.

"No way you could have prevented her involvement, huh? Well, I wonder how things would have played out if you had been able to move on?" I paused and let him think for a moment. "I am going to ask you this only once, and if you lie to me it will be your final death. When was the last time you spoke to her?" He instantly tensed, I knew this was going to be huge. He looked down at his feet, as if he was trying to do silent math in his head.

"Three months ago. She called me three months ago." I took a very unnecessary, cleansing breath in order to calm myself down.

"And what did she say when she called you three months ago?" I looked at Pam, she was unsure of what was about to happen, but ready nonetheless.

"She told me that she moved back from Little Rock, and then she asked me if I would consider moving to Monroe, to try and start over." You could have heard a pin drop at that moment.

"And your response was?" He did not want to tell me, you could almost see the panic set in his face.

"I told her that I didn't think it would be possible." Not fucking good enough.

"Bill, I am losing my patience, rapidly. What was the reason for not going, now!" I took a step closer to him. He moved, slightly.

He cleared his throat and he rubbed his hands over his face, as though he was trying to push the memory of his words away.

"I told her I didn't think it was possible because I would never be able to love another person the way that I love her." Instant fucking rage. Love, not past tense, not loved. He said love, love her. I had him by the throat and pinned against the wall faster than he could react. I heard Pam chuckle softly, hoping that I would end it right then and there.

I didn't know for certain, but I was fairly confident in the fact that Selah was making one last attempt at Bill. When he refused her due to his never ending love for my wife, it pushed her over the edge. Don't get me wrong, she will still be very fucking sorry, but I could see where she may have been looking for a way out.

Bill's eyes were frozen on mine. I'm sure he could taste my rage at his declaration of love for my wife. I held him, suspended in the air, squeezing his throat, just willing myself to end his undead life. But, as luck would have it, Sookie came in just as I was about to have some fun.

I could hear her, she was yelling at us, but I could only focus on Bill. Was I more pissed at the fact that he may have sent Selah into a jealous rage, and she then succumbed to Felipe's plan? Or, was I more pissed that he had again declared his love for my wife, _My Wife?_

Pam began bugging me, digging her perfectly manicured nail into my shoulder. I knew that Sookie wanted this to end, there really shouldn't be any bloodshed in my house, the floors are too nice to be ruined by such trivial blood splatter. I fucking let go, I removed my hands from his throat and stepped away.

Bill hung his head, not even able to fucking look her in the eye. I'm pretty sure he was realizing that he was an ass, and that he needs to get over this hard-on that he's still carrying for her. I thought it would be fun to blow his little game out of the water, tell her that Bill was still in love with her, but as soon as I opened my mouth she gave me her fucking death stare. Not even I was willing to fuck with that. She surprised me when she sat down at the table and demanded to know that plan of attack. Just hearing her ask about the strategy for a bloody onslaught made me want to take her right there on the table. That would show Bill just how much she was mine, my fucking wife.

**SPOV-**

What is it with these two? If they aren't saving each other's ass, they are each other's throat, literally? I looked back and forth between them, trying to figure out what it was they had been fighting about. Bill couldn't look at me, he just kept avoiding my face. I waited for someone to talk, to tell me what the first plan was. To my surprise, it was Pam.

"Well Sookie, before you interrupted and broke up all the fun, the boys here were figuring out the best way to kill the assholes. I personally am a big fan of torture and long, drawn out pain. But, I'm sure Bill here is more a fan of quick and safe. But, maybe I should ask Bill." She turned her emotionless face towards Bill and gave him a very predatory smirk. "Tell me Bill, do you prefer the get in a get out method? Or would you rather hover and stalk and just refuse to let it go?" Something told me that was a loaded question, but I didn't care at the time.

"Pam, lets just concentrate on getting it done, not Bill's preferred method of murder, ok?" I looked at Eric as he sat motionless.

"Sookie, we need to obviously move at night. There were some humans, some Were's, and some vampires on that list of names. Getting the vamps at night will be easy, it's the only time they are actually out. Putting together some type of trap to lure the Were's and the human's is going to be the hard part." I looked at Eric, and then to Bill and Pam. They all were nodding their heads in agreement.

"We are most likely going to have to split up, call some to one meeting spot, and the rest to another." Bill finally spoke.

"Yes, that is what I was thinking." Eric agreed. "The humans are the most easily fooled. If they were bought off by Felipe's crew it should be fairly easy to entice them with a monetary payoff. We will attack once all three of them have arrived. Pam, do you want the humans?" Pam looked disappointed for a moment, but them I saw the flicker of hope flash in her blue eyes,

"Do I get to handle them in any manner that I chose?" She sounded like a child asking for a toy at the store for being extra special good.

"Of course, just make sure you don't get caught." And the answer from the proud daddy giving the child that toy. Of course you can have that dolly, you have been extra special good. I couldn't help but smile to myself, in the most sick and twisted way.

"I am hesitant to do this, but I will call Hevereaux and make him aware that there is going to be four missing Were's. When he learned of your kidnapping, he pledged his service and his honor to help. Given your status with the pack, it would be considered a fair kill. He can lure the four Were's to the meeting spot and Bill, you and I will take care of them. I'm sure we can be creative in our disposal." I watched him eye Bill, gauging his reaction. Bill nodded his head curtly.

"Great, so that just leaves what, four vamps and Selah?" My voice was nervous, scratchy, uneasy.

"It would appear so, but I would not feel comfortable telling you what my plans are for those few. If anything were to happen, I don't want you to know my plan. When it comes to the vamps that were working directly with Felipe, the less you know the better." I shifted in my chair, a little upset that he didn't want to tell me what was going to happen. I knew he could feel my anger, and he tried to project his calmness and his reassurance on me.

"Fine." That's all I had to say, fine.

"Sookie, I will not have you placed in danger. You are already too involved in this for my liking. You must understand that not everything can be disclosed." I knew he was trying to sound strong and calm, but I didn't care.

"Fine, just like I said, fine." I looked at all three of them. Pam was anticipating a fight, but I didn't have it in me, I knew he was right. "Can I just say one thing?"

"Of course, you can say anything." Eric's voice had softened, along with his eyes.

I took a deep breath and rested my hands on the table in front of me. I looked down as I didn't really want to see the looks in their eyes when I spoke about this.

"Well, if it's ok, I want to do something. You see, after Oliver kidnapped me, and stuck me in that room, I knew I was in trouble." I was fighting the horrific memories, but wanted to say my piece. "I knew that he was going to do some pretty bad things to me, and he did. But, it wasn't the physical pain and torture that hurt me the most…it's what he did to my head." I looked up and waited for their reaction. "Just knowing he was out there, knowing he was coming back, it was terrifying. The drugs that he had in me were awful, but I could still sense him. I would hear the smallest noise and I would panic. Just the fact that he had gotten inside my head was a nightmare. It still is to this day." I felt a tear fall from my eye and I brushed it away with the back of my hand. "Anyway, my point is this. I think it is awful that Selah had something to do with this. It makes me sick that someone I know, even if she didn't like me, would have anything to do with this whole sick thing. I want to call her, I want to call her and tell her that I know what she did to me. I think that would be torture to her, realizing that she got caught, and waiting for someone to catch up with her. I want to get in her head, just like that animal got in my head." They were all silent as they stared at me, Eric reached across and placed his hand over mine.

"Sookie, if you do that she could go to the police and let them know." I could tell he was uneasy with my plan.

"I will wait until after you get rid of the dirty cops. And what is she going to do, tell the police that she was hired by a vampire king to get involved in a conspiracy to have a human kidnapped, held against her will, tortured and raped? That's a chance that I'm willing to take." He pursed his lips, furrowed his brow, and nodded his head.

Just as he was about to say something his phone rang. I saw him look at the ID and his body tensed. He did not excuse himself so he could have privacy, he just sat as still as could be and answered. It seemed to be a very cold, very uneasy conversation. But something shifted during the call. Towards the end of the discussion something seemed to shift. He became more upbeat, more intense. His eyes flickered and his lips were trying hard not to smile. I looked at him, trying to figure out what he was talking about, and with whom he was discussing.

He said a good bye and looked at all of us, placed the phone down on the table and stood as if to excuse all of us.

"Sandy was calling to make sure that Sookie was alright, and that I have been set back to rights. Of course I assured her that we are both fine and that we hold no ill will towards her." He smirked, knowing that he would be handling his ill will in other ways. I looked at them and knew that there was something else, but he did not want to discuss it while the other's were still here. They said their goodbye's, Bill simply nodded, still unable to look at me, and they were gone.

"So, what was that really about?" I put my hands on my hips and fixed my gaze on his.

"Well, it was what I said. Sandy was making sure that you were alright, and that I was doing well also." He smiled at me and brushed a piece of hair away from my face. I couldn't help it, I involuntarily shivered when I felt his fingers touch my skin.

"Eric, I saw your face light up at the end of that conversation. Tell me what else she said to you, or is it part of your private vampire world?" I waved my hands in the air like I was casting a spell around the room, trying to make imaginary characters appear before our eyes. He paused and just looked at me, trying to decide whether or not he wanted to go into detail.

"Fine, I will tell you what she discussed with me, but it is not public knowledge yet." He pulled me into his chest so that he could hug me to him.

"And by public you mean vampire public, not the population of the Earth public." My voice was slightly annoyed that our opinion of public was very different.

"Naturally lover. Anyway, I believe that I have the answer to my question about why Sandy was so willing to help you the other night. I was concerned with what she would want in return, because as you know, we do not do things out of the kindness of our hearts." I felt the sudden urge to give him a 'Duh', but thought better of it.

"Ok, so what does she want?" My voice was more than apprehensive, as was my mood. My nerves were on edge and I was getting goose bumps.

"Sandy has informed me that my name has come up in the candidates to take over Felipe's throne. Apparently I have quite a fan club, and those vampires want nothing more than to see me crowned King." I could hear how excited he was, but my stomach was lurching. All feeling I had was draining out of my body and I was about to go weak in the knees.

"Really, they want you to take over all of Felipe's territories, become…king?" I tried to sound upbeat and happy.

"Yes, but Sandy wants to step in and take over. She wants me to step aside and not challenge her for the position." So there was a chance that this would not happen. Maybe Sandy would become Queen and Eric and I could still have a normal life, well as normal as before. Maybe we could just be Sookie and Eric, not King and Queen? Would I even be a queen if I'm not technically a vampire? Who the hell cares, it is not something I want, or even want to think about.

The problem, I could hear the pride in Eric's voice. I could feel how happy he was and how excited he was at the news. I know that he had said to me years ago that he had no interest in becoming king, but I know all too well that things change. I hugged him and buried my face in his chest. I forced the tears away and swallowed the enormous lump that was now sitting in my throat.

"That's just great honey. I'm so happy for you." Unfortunately the circus clown, creepy smile had crept its way to my face. There was no way of hiding it, I was in no way happy about any of this.

TBC……


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N- Again…HUGE thanks to everyone for the fabulous reviews. You have no idea how much they keep me going. Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter posted, it's school vacation week and I think that is really just a big, cruel joke on parents.**

**I just want to clarify a little something, Selah is definitely going to get hers. Sookie was adding her two cents about getting into her head to add to the drama of the justice. Sookie does not want to simply call her and let bygones be bygones.**

**Lastly, I'm not sure if I have mentioned this in a while, but I don't own any of these characters, only Charlaine Harris does. I don't have any rights to the SVM series, sure wish I did. Ok, on with the next chapter.**

**EPOV-**

Our discussion about the in's and out's of my of plan attack left me a little on edge. Not because I was uncomfortable planning this type of execution, but mostly because I had never thought about doing it in front of my wife. But she just sat there, listened like she was in a lecture in some college classroom. I'm surprised she didn't take notes so she could look back later.

We covered most of the details, Pam would handle the humans. I could see she was a little disappointed at first, but she quickly came to the realization that she would be able to kill them in whatever means she saw fit. Pam, my little avenger. I could not ask for a better child.

Fucking Compton and I would deal with the Were's. I looked at his fucking pathetic face, he couldn't even look at her. Maybe he was just afraid that I would reach over the table and rip his fucking throat out for letting his eyes meet hers. I tried to lighten the mood, make it easier on all of us and actually ask his fucking opinion.

"I'm sure we can be creative in our disposal." Fucker just nodded. How about a little gratitude? How about a little respect you piece of shit? Nope, he just nods. God, he's a fucking thorn in my side. And then she questioned me about the remaining vamps.

I did not really have a plan yet on how I wanted to take them out. I knew that it was going to be a very tricky path to walk, and that it would be better if she did not know. If anyone other than us got wind of my plan it could be trouble. She could easily be hurt, and I will not let that fucking happen. I could tell that she was upset, I expected her to be upset, but I was willing to handle it.

I got a famous Sookie, 'Fine' when I tried to explain my reasoning. After almost a year of marriage, and the time we spent together before we got married, I knew all too well that 'fine' meant the exact opposite. She might have well called me every dirty name in the book. She could have called me a fucking bastard, asshole, and it would have had the same meaning as the word, 'fine'.

But, then she surprised me, again. She was shifting in her chair and was noticeably uncomfortable. She wanted to say something and it was very important to her, I could feel it. I listened to her as she spoke about how scared she was when the shifter had taken her. I watched her face as she spoke of the fear she felt, the terror that had taken over her body. It broke my undead heart to have to watch the pain and the fear set in her face as she tried to explain how her mind had been forever changed.

The sad part is that I knew exactly what she was trying to explain. I have been held against my will, tortured, beaten. I know what it is like to fear for your life, to be on edge every second of every day. I know what it means to hear the rustle of a leave, or the footstep of someone in the distance, and panic into thinking that they are coming back for you. Not knowing if this time will be the last time they punish you, or if you will be given the mercy of death.

I wanted to hold her, cradle her to me and protect her from all of her bad memories. I wanted to wrap my body around her own and just take her away from all of this, but I can't take her away from her own mind. I watched her brush a falling tear from her eye and knew that I would not rest until they were all dead and gone. My beloved will have justice.

I reached across and held her hand, I just needed to touch her. I needed to let her know that I was willing to do whatever it took to see that she was alright. As much as I wanted that witch to suffer, her plan left me a little sour. What if she balked and called the police?

"I will wait until after you get rid of the dirty cops. And what is she going to do, tell the police that she was hired by a vampire king to get involved in a conspiracy to have a human kidnapped, held against her will, tortured and raped? That's a chance that I'm willing to take." All I could do was look at her. She was right, it's not like Selah could really call the cops and tell them that she was part of this plan. She would sound like a fucking lunatic. I didn't like it, but I was willing to do this, for Sookie. I nodded at her to let her know that I was on board.

Just as I was about to get into the details my phone rang, I looked at he ID and was not pleased. What the fuck did Sandy want? Didn't we settle everything already? Can't I just get a little revenge, kill some fuckers, and be on with my life? Why does she have to be calling me?

I answered the phone and did not excuse myself as I normally would. The first part of the conversation was rather formal, making sure the Sookie was alright and not overly sensitive, given the fact that she was a human and that she had learned that Felipe had ruined her life. She also asked if I was back to rights and not harboring any hard feelings towards Felipe's regime. Hard feelings? Now why the fuck would I carry any hard feelings? He only fucked with my wife, tried to convict me on trumped up charges, send me to my final death, and stake a claim on my bonded? Hard feelings?

I assured her that all was well and that we would be just fine. We were after all safe now that Felipe had met his final death. And then she got to the real reason for her call, and perhaps the reason why she had helped Sookie in the first place. Sandy so gracefully explained to me that there needed to be a new king or queen appointed, and quickly. She also told me that there had been quite a talk about putting me in that position.

I couldn't help it, my fangs ran slightly out and my dick was hard. King, the people wanted me to be king. Just think about the protection that I could have for her, constantly. I would never have to worry about her again, at least considerably less. King, it was never something that I had wanted. But, now I couldn't help but fucking smile.

Sandy happened to mention that she was Felipe's second in command, and she was looking to take over his thrown. She reminded me that it was her that had pulled Sookie out of the grip of a crazed Felipe, and provided her the weapon to send him to his final death. She was looking for me to step aside and allow her to claim the throne without a fight. She was laying all of her cards on the table.

I hung up the phone and quickly excused Pam and Bill, letting them know that we were going into action as soon as I gave the word. As soon as they were out the door Sookie was questioning me about my conversation. I could tell that she knew something was going on, but I wasn't sure how much she could handle. I tried to play it off as just simply Sandy checking on us, but she fucking knew better.

I touched her face and brushed the hair away, I saw her body shiver a little and wanted to rub myself all over her. I was already rock hard from the idea being king, I could just brand her as my queen right here on the floor. But, she was being persistent. I told her everything. I told her that Sandy was looking to be made Queen, and that she was looking to cash in her favor for her services.

I told her that I was being considered for the position of King, and that I was apparently the only vampire standing in Sandy's way. I let my excitement come out in my voice as I told her about the possibility of becoming King. I couldn't help it, I was proud, excited, happy to think that my people had respected me enough to want me to be King.

I looked at her and saw her tense, I saw her face. She was trying to be happy for me, but her face gave everything away. She pulled me close to her and buried her face in my chest, and I could feel through the bond that she was about to cry. She had that telltale crazy smile plastered on her face.

"That's just great honey. I'm so happy for you." She was never a good liar.

**SPOV-**

I hugged him close and prayed that I had maybe heard him wrong. Maybe there was a chance that he did not just tell me that he could be made king. Weren't we just planning murder and revenge? Can't we keep doing that, why do we have to ruin it with talk of being King?

"You know you can't lie to me lover." Of course he noticed. Now I needed to try and back pedal and hope to salvage his ego.

"No Eric, I'm really happy for you. That is just amazing, I mean, King? That is huge, but it is so…life changing. Everything changes when you become King, right?" I tried to sound like I was super excited, and not being forced down death row.

"Yes, it is life changing. Just thing dear one, we would have constant protection. No one would dare harm you. You would always be under the kingdom's protection, always. It could be everything that we have ever wanted." Oh no, he really believed that things would only get better. Oh no, he was actually considering this.

"Right, I would be protected, but, I'm protected now. Eric, even if you're King there is always going to be some other vampire out there that has his or her eye on what's your's. You can't help that, it's just that way it is. Let's not talk about it now." I reached up and hugged him, letting my cheek rub against his cool neck.

"Hmm, are you trying to distract me lover?" I could only hope it was working because that was my plan.

"Maybe. Is it working?" I nuzzled his neck and let my warm breath fall over his skin.

"I think you know it's working" He immediately picked me up and had me sitting on the edge of the huge dining room table. He placed himself in between my legs and began kissing my neck and pulling my shirt down to expose my shoulders. I let out a soft moan as I felt his cool tongue glide over my skin.

I wrapped my legs around his waist and lifted his shirt so I could rub my hands over his hard, smooth chest. Even though my mind was a little preoccupied on Selah, ambushes, and possible royalty, I still had a nagging itch that only Eric could scratch.

He helped me lift the shirt over his head and quickly shucked me of my own. He was leaning over me, practically kneeling in front of me to let his lips caress every inch of skin he could get to. I raked my fingernails over his body and got a very animalistic moan in return.

The table was pretty tall, but it wasn't quite tall enough for Eric to be able to reach me in the way that he wanted. He was still busy blazing kisses all over my flesh and working my pants off of my legs. I hadn't noticed, but he had completely removed his without a pause in the action. Vampire speed, sometimes I truly am envious.

I had leaned back completely on the table and was loving the feeling of Eric on top of me. It made me feel protected and cocooned. I nipped at his ear and dragged my tongue down his marble chest. He pushed into me and I let out an ecstatic cry as I felt him become buried inside of me. It was short lived as Eric realized that we were going to need to move. He took my legs and made sure that they were locked around his waist and whispered in my ear.

"Don't let go lover. I don't want to miss the feeling of being inside of you." My face flushed as he lifted me off the table. I squeezed my legs tighter around him, making sure that I didn't lose him. His head was sweeping back and forth, trying to locate a spot that was acceptable to him.

I was not in a particularly needy mood, so really, anything was good enough for me.

"Eric, anywhere. Please, just fuck me anywhere, now." That's all I needed to say because we were quickly on the floor. Only he didn't lay me down on the floor, he sat down. I was still wrapped around him, not willing to let go. He smiled at me and kissed me, letting his hands wrap in my hair. He rested me on his lap while he sat himself down Indian style. He scooted himself, yes, have you ever seen a vampire scoot, against the wall.

This was a new position for us. I had been on top, lots of times, and in lots of different ways, but never with Eric sitting on the floor, with his legs crossed. He grabbed my hips and gently rocked me. God he felt good, it felt like he had never been this deep inside of me before. I kept my legs locked behind his back and let him move my body any way that he wanted. I let my mouth trail over his neck and shoulders and heard him moan and cry out my name.

The penetration was so intense, he knew how to make my body respond to his touch and as I started to feel my orgasm approach I actually needed to brace my hands against the wall to steady myself. I looked down into his eyes as I began to ride out the wave of my climax and saw that he was watching me with glowing, passionate eyes. I arched my back and allowed my breast to reach his mouth. He took it between his teeth and bit down just as I reached the edge of the cliff. I screamed his name as he suckled my blood and I felt the shivers of his orgasm start to begin. He continued to thrust into me, pulling my hips to meet his own. I could barely catch my breath, and just let my head rest on his shoulder as he rocked my body to his rhythm. I kissed his neck as he released into me, letting out a howl as he did.

"Oh Lover, you are truly wonderful. Do you know how happy you make me?" He was panting unnecessarily. I loved it when he sounded winded.

"About as happy as you make me?" I kissed him and tried to remove myself from his arms.

"Where do you think you're going?" He wasn't letting me get up.

"I was going to get cleaned up, get dressed, you know, things to do, people to kill." I smiled at him and hoped that he would see my humor.

"Oh, I see…you use me for sex and then just leave me alone. You're just like all the rest, only after one thing." He made a pouting face and stuck his bottom lip out, I couldn't help it, I bit it. He feigned like it actually hurt.

"See what happens when you pout, now, lets get going. I want to call Amelia and get things moving. I'm way too nervous to just lay here and cuddle. We'll have plenty of time for that later, lets go mister." I worked my way out of his arms and tried to wrestle him into a standing position. He helped me so that I could feel stronger than what I actually was.

As I was getting our clothes together I felt a sudden burst of warmth and love flood the bond. I turned around and saw Eric just looking at me, watching me gather our scattered clothing.

"Sookie, you know how much I love you, right? I mean, you know that I would do absolutely anything for you, to keep you safe, to keep you happy. You are everything to me, and I will do anything to ensure that you are always mine." There was something unsettling in the way he was looking at me. Maybe it was the fact that he was planning on going on a killing spree in less than 24 hours, maybe it was the fact that he was just told about the plans to make him king. Maybe he just wanted to let me know that he loved me, but right now, in that very moment, he looked like he was stalking his prey, and that prey was me.

**EPOV-**

I could feel and sense that she was not happy about what I had told her about the news of possibly becoming King. I could also tell that she was doing her damndesed to make sure that she came off as happy as could be. I tired to point out all of the benefits and the perks of being king, but she tried to change the subject. Not that I minded.

I felt her start to nuzzle my neck and rub her cheek across my skin. I inhaled her scent and my nostrils flared as her smell clung to my senses. My already hard dick began to vibrate with the need to have her. I felt her nails drag across my skin and I fucking had her on the table faster that she could have imagined.

She wrapped her legs around my waist and tried to get my shirt off. I felt her hot mouth all over my body and it made me weak in the knee's. The power this woman had over me was astounding. I let out a moan that was completely incoherent, but it was the only sound that came out as she had me almost begging to fuck her.

I had rid myself of the rest of my clothing, not turning my attention away from her in the process. The smell of her arousal was heavy and I couldn't hold back any longer. I rested myself on top of her and balanced my weight on my elbows so I didn't crush her. I pushed into her and was rewarded with her shriek of pure pleasure. But, fucking table.

All the times tonight I had imagined myself fucking her on this table, now I was getting my wish, and it wasn't going to work. I couldn't lay us completely on the table, it could give out under my weight, and our…motion. Yes, it's expensive and of impeccable quality, but might not be any match for our actual movement.

I couldn't stand up as I was clearly too tall, fuck, this is not going as planned. Mental note to replace this table with one at least six inches taller. I don't care if I have to have it custom made, I will be able to properly fuck my wife on my dining room table if that is what she wants to do.

I made sure she was securely wrapped around me and told her to hold on, I could feel the surge of lust bounce off her when I said this to her, and I knew that I needed to find another spot quickly. I looked around, for once unsure of where I wanted to pleasure her. I could fly us upstairs, I could get us to the living room couch, I could get us to the bathroom. Fuck, where?

"Eric, anywhere. Please, just fuck me anywhere, now." Ok then, floor works for me too. I sat us down on the dining room floor and smiled at her, loving the fact that she was so desperate to continue our lovemaking. I grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her into my kiss, making sure that I was comfortable seated. I pushed myself up against the wall and watched the curiosity spread across her face.

The good thing about my wife is she is always willing to try new things. We had not had sex in this position yet, but I was certain that she was going to enjoy it. She could relax and just enjoy the feeling of how fucking deep I could get inside of her. She kissed my neck and I couldn't help but moan her name, she was too fucking good not to.

I molded her body to exactly what she needed, guiding her to her orgasm, making sure she knew how much she would enjoy fucking this way. I knew she was on her way when she began screaming my name and unclenched my neck in order to brace herself against the wall. She looked down at me right before she came and saw me watching her. She was so fucking hot when she was making love to me, all I wanted to do was stay inside of her like this forever.

She arched her back and presented herself to me. I gladly accepted and bit down on her prefect skin, sending her screaming into her climax. I hadn't reached the end yet and wanted to savor this for a few more minutes. Just the feeling of her muscles tightening and contracting around my dick was almost enough to do it for me, but I wanted to hold back.

I sucked and drew the blood from her nipple, feeling the hot liquid slide down my throat, warming my cool insides. She was panting and trying to catch her breath as I continued to thrust myself inside of her. She flopped her head down on my shoulder and the minute I felt her lips and tongue start to kiss and tease my flesh I began to release, hard and strong inside of her. I yelled something, possibly her name, and squeezed her body to mine. She was mine, for always.

"Oh Lover, you are truly wonderful. Do you know how happy you make me?" I listened to her rapid heartbeat and rubbed my cheek against her naked breasts.

"About as happy as you make me?" She was right, again. We both made each other happy. We were nothing without the other. She tried to move and I was having no fucking part of that.

"Where do you think you're going?" I held her tighter, letting her know that I wanted to stay like this and hold her. Yup, I know….fucking pussy girl I am.

"I was going to get cleaned up, get dressed, you know, things to do, people to kill." Oh that's right, people to kill, blood to spill, King to be made.

"Oh, I see…you use me for sex and then just leave me alone. You're just like all the rest, only after one thing." Since I was feeling a bit silly, again pussy, I pouted a bit and made the mistake of baring my bottom lip. Sookie quickly bit it and that made me hard all over again. Fuck, punishment indeed.

"See what happens when you pout, now, lets get going. I want to call Amelia and get things moving. I'm way too nervous to just lay here and cuddle. We'll have plenty of time for that later, lets go mister." Great, now I have a fucking pulsing hard on and a wife that is going to go into one of her frenzy's to keep her mind off of the inevitable. Usually when she gets like this our house ends up sparkling from top to bottom and she smells of bleach for about a week. Something was telling me that she was not about to start mopping floors. She was looking less like Sookie, and more like…me.

She had a look in her eye that was uncharacteristically dangerous. She looked like a caged animal that had been backed into a corner one too many times. I think that the realization had set in. She was going to be a part of bringing justice and death to those involved in her attack, and she had willing accepted that. I was both alarmed and happy. My Sookie, my wife, my perfect, innocent everything was seeing things in a darker light.

I watched her picking up our clothes and knew that she was a changed woman, both for the better and for the worse. But, she was my woman, no matter what. She would always be mine, and I would never let anyone or anything change that.

"Sookie, you know how much I love you, right? I mean, you know that I would do absolutely anything for you, to keep you safe, to keep you happy. You are everything to me, and I will do anything to ensure that you are always mine." She just looked at me and nodded, nervously.

**SPOV-**

Of course I knew how much he loved me, and I knew that I loved him just as much. I nodded at him and quickly went back to getting our clothes together.

"Hon, what time is it?" I got dressed and pulled my hair into a ponytail.

"It's almost two. Are you late for a date?" He smiled and winked at me.

"Yes, I have been seeing some totally hot human on the side. Now give me the phone so I can tell him I'm running late because I needed to have sex with my husband." I poked him in the shoulder and laughed. "Seriously, I know it's late, but I want to call Amelia and see if she can get me any info an Selah. I want anything she can get her hands on." I put my hands on my hips and waited for him to hand me the phone.

"Lover, it's a bit late for anyone other than vampires. Don't you think that you should wait until morning to question your friend?" I know he was being practical, but I was not in any mood.

"No, Amelia is a night owl, plus, I'm sure she'll understand after I tell her why I need all this information." I snatched the phone out of his hand and dialed the number.

It rang several times before she finally answered.

"Hi Amelia, did I wake you? I am so sorry to be calling this late…" I paused and my face turned the color of a overly ripe tomato. "Wow, I sure an sorry about that, apologize to Tray for me. Anyway. The reason I'm calling is pretty important, otherwise I'd let you get back to, um, other things." I thought about how to word my request so I wouldn't set off her panic button.

"Ok, I'm just going to say this and I don't want you to freak out. It's being taken care of and we've got it under control, got it?" I paused and waited for her to respond. "Good, thank you. Anyway, I need you to get me as much information as possible on a witch from Monroe. It's someone we know actually, but not someone that we knew was a witch. Amelia, it's Bill's ex-girlfriend, Selah. I'll explain more later. Just dig up as much as you possibly can on her, anything, everything. She didn't want anyone to know that she was a witch, but I found out, the hard way." Amelia was asking a lot of questions and she was talking so fast that I could barely understand her. I knew that if I started to explain now I would never be off the phone. "Amelia, I promise, I'll tell you everything just as soon as you can get me that information. Please, it's real important that you get it done quickly." I said my goodbye and turned to look at Eric.

"Ok, that was easier than I thought. Poor Amelia was having sex when I called. Woops, guess it's not just us that have sex in the middle of the night. Hopefully she'll have a whole bunch of stuff for me by tonight. That would sure be helpful. Now, do you think that you could give Bill a call for me?" Eric's eyebrow raised and he just stared at me.

"Sookie, why would I call Bill?" Like I've said before, in for a penny in for a pound.

"Because he has a phone number that I would like. And, I would like you to start right now. My mind is made up. Call the police station, see if those dirty cops are working tonight. I want this over with, I want it done. I don't want to think about it any longer. It has taken up too much of my life already, and I'm sick and tired of having to think about it. I'm done Eric. I'm done with being a victim, it's time for me to have a little control." Apparently I took him by surprise because he looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"I'm sorry, did you just ask me to carry out my plan of attack right now?" Yup, definitely took him by surprise.

"Yes, I did. I also asked you to call Bill so I could get a phone number. I can call him if you want." I began to dial Bill's phone number when Eric took the phone out of my hand and spun my around to look at him.

"Lover, are you sure that you are ready to do this. Once this starts it can not be stopped. I am fully committed to this, but I will understand if you want to reconsider and ask to be left in the dark about the plans. I will have no problem changing things so that you are unaware of what sis happening and when." I could see the concern in his eyes, but I was steadfast in my decision.

"No. I will not be kept in the dark, I will not be treated like a child. I will not break. I am ready to deal with this and I can take this. Please, call Bill and start this thing rolling." I squeezed his hand and held his gaze, letting him know that I was not willing to back down.

"Alright, if that is what you want." I watched him dial the number and I felt my nerves start to hum. I was actually going to allow this to happen. I was going to let people, albeit evil, dirty, disgusting, people, die. Am I truly a monster? No, I'm a woman that was brutally attacked and raped. I'm a woman that was used and manipulated. I'm a woman that is finally finding her voice, make that her battle cry.

Eric handed me a small piece of paper with a phone number on it. He didn't say anything, just handed it to me and sat down. My hands trembled as I held the paper in my hands. I could only hope that my voice didn't sound as shaky as my hands were.

I pulled out the chair that was next to Eric and slowly dialed the numbers. It was so late and I was sure that Selah was going to think that she was having a bad dream. Then again, she was going to wish that it was a bad dream. I fidgeted with my hair that hung from my pony tail and bit my lips that needed to coating of chapstick. Eric felt my nerves and reached over to me, taking my shaking hand in his strong, steady grip.

When I heard her answer the phone I thought that I has lost my voice, but suddenly it was there, and it was strong. Hearing her snobby, arrogant pitch, even in the middle of the night was infuriating.

"Selah, Selah Pumphrey?" I paused waiting for her response.

"Yes, who is this?" She sounded annoyed that she was answering the phone in the middle of the night.

"Great, I'm glad I reached you Selah. Oh, It's Sookie, you remember me, right?" Nothing but silence. "Anyway, I'm glad you were home cause there's something that I have been meaning to talk to you about." I put on my best southern hospitality voice.

"Sookie, perhaps we could have a discussion at a more appropriate time. Maybe you could call my office and set up an appointment." I was having no part of this.

"Oh, I don't think so Selah. You see, I'm not sure if you heard or not, but a while back I had an unfortunate experience. I was kidnapped and held against my will, it was rather, inappropriate." My anger was boiling up, but I was not going to let it get the best of me.

"Yes, I did hear something like that. I'm sorry." I had to bite my cheek to keep from screaming.

"Save your apology. My point in calling so late is this. I know. I know all about it, everything. I know about Felipe, the money, everything. So, you know that if I learned about your involvement, I'm not the only one. That means Eric knows, and Bill too. They are not too happy Selah, not happy at all. It's bad enough that you actually helped that monster hurt me like that, but to think that you wouldn't get caught?"

"Sookie, you must have misunderstood. I did not help Felipe De Castro in any way." I could hear the fear in her voice as she tried to claim her innocence.

"How did you know his full name? Did you and Bill ever discuss the takeover of his area after the two of you broke up? Hmm, anyway, they all know. Vampires are not the forgiving kind Selah, and neither am I. Have a good night, sleep well." I hung up the phone before she could say anything.

I sunk into my chair and let the breath out that I had been holding the entire time I was on the phone. I felt my eyes fill with tears and escape the dam that was holding them back. My emotions were uncontrollable and I wept. I lowered my head to the table and let it rest there as I cried for everything. Eric came to my side and rested his head on my lap, just letting me cry. He didn't say anything. He knew that I was battling myself for what was right, what was wrong, and what needed to be done.

TBC…


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N- Just a little warning, violence to follow.**

**EPOV-**

I listened to her cry and knew that she was experiencing feelings that she never knew existed. She was overwhelmed by everything that was happening, going to happen, and the fact that she was a part of it. Not only a part of it, but apparently setting the ball rolling. I laid my head in her lap and just listened to the blood flow through her body. There was nothing I could say to make her feel better, no words that would make this any easier on her, so I just sat there, close to her, letting her know I was there.

When she finally picked her head up off the table she looked at me through her very puffy, very red eyes. She looked so tired and so worn out. All I wanted for her was to sleep, rest, finally and peacefully rest. That would come, soon.

"Sookie, do you still want me to do this? Do you want me to start this tonight, or would you rather go to bed?" I could feel that she had set her mind to getting this over with, I could feel how anxious she was through our bond.

"No Eric, I want this to be over sooner rather than later. Please, can you start tonight?" She sniffed and I could only smile at her childlike face.

"Of course darling. I'll call Bill again and we will see that everything is taken care of." She rubbed her face and I stood to my full height. Fuck, my body was buzzing with the idea of hurting their sorry asses. I began to pace the floor as I put myself into the proper mindset.

I called Bill and let him know that our plans had changed.

"Compton, here is what I need you to do. Take one of the disposable cell phones and place a call to the Monroe police department. Ask if officer Jones is working this evening. From what your document listed, he normally works the graveyard shift, probably how he got in touch with De Castro in the first place. He'll naturally have his partner Olson with him. That will leave Decker, we need to figure out how to get fucking Decker there." I listened for a moment while Bill mumbled something.

"Tell the dispatcher that you were working with Jones on an investigation and need to meet with him at Quincy Street office park. If they ask, tell them it has to do with a string of car break in's. Those are always irritating to the public, what a better way to gain a little police force recognition, solving a string of nuisances that frighten the residents of his quiet little community. Do you understand, are you with me? Good, I will meet you on Quincy Street in Monroe in one hour." I hung up the phone and quickly called Pam to let her know the plan. Next I went to find my wife.

She was sitting on our bed, looking at absolutely nothing. I had a feeling she was trying to disconnect herself from what I was doing. She looked like she was in a far away place, just minding her own business.

"Sookie, I'll be back later. You should try and get some sleep, it's been a long night. I'll wake you up when I get in to let you know that I am home." She looked at me and smiled? She fucking smiled at me?

"Now, you be safe. Try not get hurt and make sure that nobody see's you. I love you." She kissed me and I was very fucking uncomfortable with her sudden apathy to this situation.

"Are you alright? Can I get you anything before I leave?" What am I, a fucking housemaid?

"Nope, I'll be just fine. Just make sure you get back safe and sound, you hear me?" She rubbed my face and kissed me softly. Her hand caught me by surprise and I suddenly realized that there was something that she needed before I left. I remembered that I had never removed it from my pocket, and was happy that I didn't lose it.

I reached into my pants pocket and pulled out her ring. Her eyes flashed when she saw what I was presenting her. I held out her hand and slipped the ring back on her finger where it belonged.

"Promise me you will never take this ring off again. Promise me that you will never leave, that you will always be mine." I kissed her finger once the ring was back in place.

"I promise, I'll never take it off or leave you again. I'm sorry…" I was not going to hear another apology, I sealed her words in her mouth with a searing kiss. I tucked her in the bed and kissed her on the head.

"I will see you in a bit, good night." And I left to carry out the start of my revenge. I took to the air and breathed in the cool, crisp night. My blood was almost hot with the desire to kill. My flesh tingled with anticipation, moments, it would be moments until I would see their deaths.

**SPOV-**

I felt his head in my lap and it made me feel better, knowing that he was that close. But, I just couldn't talk about it right now. I mean, I was feeling so mixed about every bit of it. I was so tired, I think that had a lot to do with my emotional break down. I just wanted to sleep for days and days.

When I had stopped crying I lifted my head up and looked into Eric's blue eyes. He was really willing to do absolutely anything for me, including kill. Hell, it's not like he hadn't ever killed anyone before. I'm pretty sure that he's killed more people than I've ever known, but it's who he is. I knew that before I married him.

He asked me if I still wanted him to go out tonight and take care of the humans. I could take the easy way out and say no. Or, I could just suck it up and get this hell over with. I knew that no matter what I was never going to be rid of this. I was always going to carry the scars of this with me, for the rest of my life. But I also knew that I was married to a very powerful, very important vampire. Not only had I been greatly wronged, but he had too. Eric was not going to let this rest. Even if I had asked him not to do anything, those people involved would have all somehow managed to "disappear".

I'm not the same person I was, and I never will be. I accepted that, now it was just having to live with it. You can carry the memories and the nightmares with you, it's what you chose to do with them that matters. Right now I was choosing to act on my anger and my hate. Yup, I'll probably regret it later, hell, there's a bunch of stuff that I've done that I regret. I am strong, I can handle anything that comes my way, regret included.

When Eric called Bill to let him know that the plans had changed I decided that I didn't really want to hear all of the details. I silently excused myself and went to our bedroom. I walked in and just looked around, almost floating from spot to spot. I walked over to a desk that was in the corner and looked at some pictures that were framed. I ran my fingers over the photos and thought back to the times that they were taken. One was from the night we got married.

It all happened rather suddenly and there was no one except Pam and Bill here to witness our union, well, and the holy man that married us, Abraham. To my surprise, Pam actually had a digital camera with her. She snapped a picture of us just after we were pronounced Mr. and Mrs. Northman, right after Eric had released me from our first kiss. We were looking in each other's eyes, completely unaware that there was anyone else in the room.

His hands were resting delicately on my face as we both just looked at each other, utterly lost in the moment. We had a look of pure love and happiness. Our faces were illuminated by the soft glow of the candles the were lighting the room, our blond hair was perfectly matched. I looked like an innocent child, so unaware of the shock that the world had in store for her. So blind to the horror that would become my life for all I could see at that moment in time was the Eden that was my husband.

That Eden was now planning on seeking blood revenge for everyone involved in hurting me. I walked away from the photo and flopped myself in my huge bed. I stared at the wall, hoping to find a hidden message in the perfectly painted plaster. Was I looking for something to tell me to stop this, to end all of this violence? Was I looking for something to tell me to pick up a sword and do the job myself? I didn't know, all I knew was that I was tired, so tired.

I heard Eric come in the room and tell me that he was leaving. Of course he was leaving, it's not like he could ask the cops to come over for some sweet tea and kill them in our backyard. I could sense his uneasiness and for some reason decided to give him a big, Sookie smile. That didn't help, he looked at me sideways and told me to get some sleep. Oh well, so I'm not looking my best.

He asked me if I needed anything and all I could picture was Eric in a French maid's uniform, carrying a silver tea tray, bringing me tea and cookies. I giggled a little and rubbed his face, begging him to be safe and return well. He must not have expected me to touch him because he jumped, just a bit. But, then I saw him looking at my hand, and it was not because he was concerned that I had caressed his cheek.

He reached into his jeans and pulled out my ring, the ring that I had taken off, the ring that held all of my hopes and dreams. He slipped it over my finger and silently kissed my hand, almost sealing it in place.

"Promise me you will never take this ring off again. Promise me that you will never leave, that you will always be mine." His voice was soft and full of emotion, it made my heart ache.

"I promise, I'll never take it off or leave you again. I'm sorry…" Before I could finish my apology he was devouring my mouth with his own. I wasn't sure if this was a kiss to make me remember to always keep that ring on my finger, or a kiss a warrior gives before he goes into battle. Either way, my body was certainly going to be remembering.

He was pulling the blankets over my body and kissing me on the head, and then he was gone.

**EPOV-**

I could only hope that Bill had remembered to do exactly as I fucking told him to do. It's not like I was planning on meeting these assholes to discuss building permits. I was meeting to send these fuckers to their graves. My body ached to fight, I felt like I needed to crawl out of my skin and tear the flesh from my bones. All of the anger and the hatred that was buried inside of me was going to be released, and it was swirling around like a tornado.

I hope Sookie fell asleep, I don't want her to feel the fucking anger that is about to spill out of my body. I don't want her to feel the pleasure that I will get when I watch their lives drift away. It will be too much for her, too much for any human to take. That is why I need to keep this part of myself separate from her. She can never know the distinct pleasure that I take in other peoples pain and misery, especially those that have wronged me or my love. Fucking stupid humans. As soon as they agreed to work with Felipe they signed their death sentence. Technically, they are killing themselves.

Bill did not have the ability to fly like I did. I hope he wasn't fucking stupid enough to drive his car here. Sookie really did throw a wrench in things, wanting this taken care of tonight. At least tomorrow I would have been better prepared, rental car, weapons, alibi if needed. Now all could do was rely on my experience as a fighter, that and the knife that I cleverly tucked in my boot. At least I didn't have to worry about Pam, she was absolutely reliable.

I circled around the vacant office park a few times, taking in the area, noticing all of the ways to get in and out. I chose this space because I knew it had gone bankrupt mid construction. It was more or less just an eye sore at this point in time, a reminder that money isn't what it used to be. I looked for things that could be used as possible weapons, both for my benefit and to my detriment. It was a quiet night, nice and calm.

I snapped my head around when I heard someone approaching. A quick smell of the air let me know that it was Compton. He was on foot with a bag slung across his back. Apparently he was smart enough to leave his personal vehicle behind.

"Walk here did you?" My voice was still icy from our little exchange earlier.

"Ran actually, nice night for a run." I could sense that he was anticipating our little battle just as much as I was.

"Were you able to convince the dispatcher to send the assholes?"

"Yes, I took a few minutes and hacked into the Monroe PD's data base. I found some outstanding investigations involving some smash and grab incidents a couple of months back. I used the name of the person that reported those break ins. Dispatcher never questioned me when I gave her this address." He sounded completely complacent.

Another sound had us both on alert, only this time I could sense my child.

"Gentleman, nice night for a kill, wouldn't you say?" She sounded bored to be there. She looked breathtaking, wearing a baby blue polo shirt and khaki skirt, a pair of Keds to compliment the PTA look.

"Good evening Pam, glad you could join us." I smiled at her, knowing she was simply giddy with excitement.

"So, what's the plan? Same as usual, fuck with them, drain them?" She casually inspected her manicure, silently wondering if she was going to chip her nails.

"Just follow my lead. I haven't quite decided." I looked at them both.

"Excellent, I guess we sit back and wait." Again, she was sounding bored and completely cold.

"You know what the first move is, right?" I eyed them both to make sure we were on the same page. At the same exact time, in the same exact tone, we all solidified that first move.

"Make it so they can't scream." We couldn't help but smile.

"Did you mention Decker? He's the wild card in this whole thing. We need to get him here and take care of him tonight too." I rubbed my head absently, getting impatient with their impending arrival.

"I did tell her that I also had spoke to him in the past and if he happened to be in this evening as well it might make me more comfortable to see and speak with him too. I may have used my persuasive voice." He began pacing along with me. "Eric, a little after I spoke to you I got a phone call, from Selah." He sounded alarmed.

I inhaled a sharp, useless breath and let it out with a sigh.

"Yes, Sookie did place a call to her. What did she say? Did she mention anything about going to the police?" I couldn't help but be anxious. This was not what I wanted.

"No, she didn't say that. She was crying, asking me if I had heard anything about Sookie's kidnapping. It was like she was still trying to deny having any part of it, like she was trying to feel me out for any type of information that I might have." He spoke of her with no emotion, good man.

"And how did you respond?" He piqued my curiosity.

"I all but told her she was being paranoid and asked her if she was having a bad dream. I made it seem as if she imagined the whole thing, like the phone call never came in, like she was going crazy. I told her that I knew Sookie was kidnapped and that she killed her attacker as a means to escape. I did not let on that I was aware that there was a much larger plot involved." I could feel a small bit of tension escape my shoulders.

"Good, hopefully that will satisfy her." We all heard the car and crouched down into our attack posture. I looked at them and motioned to wait for my word.

"Bill, don't make a fucking move until I say so. Just follow my lead and shut the fuck up, got it?" He nodded back at me and had a gleam of excitement in his eye. We crouched in the shadows, making ourselves invisible to the oncoming patrol car.

The car came to a rolling stop and then they turned the lights off, and exited the car with their flashlights on and sweeping the area.

"Monroe Police, Mr. Lewis? Mr. Lewis?" They were yelling into the night are for the imaginary caller. If they only knew what they were walking into.

"Office Jones, is that you?" I made my voice sound scared and vulnerable.

"Yeah Mr. Lewis, how can we help you tonight?" He sounded annoyed that he was there.

"Who is with you? Why are you not alone?" Again with the innocent voice.

"It's my partner, Officer Olson. What can we do for you sir?" Why so quick with the questions, asshole.

"Oh, alright. I do believe that I requested a Detective Decker also. I have some mighty important information to provide and I did ask for Detective Decker to be here. Will he be here tonight?" I was purposefully sounding borderline irrational.

"I'm not sure Mr. Lewis, he's pretty busy these days. Do you think that we could talk and then we'll see if the Detective is needed?" He was trying to sound smooth, fucker.

"No, I don't think so. Could you maybe call the station to see if he will be here. I spoke with him last month and he told me that I could call him anytime. I'm not really feeling comfortable right now, perhaps I should go." I shuffled my foot on the ground, making as though I was going to leave. They immediately shined their lights in my direction, but the vampire speed was too quick for them to see me.

"No, there's no need to go sir. We'll call and see if Decker will be joining us. Give my partner here a minute to see where he's at." I watched as Olson walked back towards the cruiser and picked up his CB radio. He said a couple of words into the mouthpiece and my vampire hearing told me that he was asking the missing detective to get a haul on as some fucking whack job was asking for him.

I eyed Bill, he was using all of his self control not to attack until I gave him to go ahead. He was so much younger than me and it was still quite difficult for him to control the blood lust that was brewing. He almost looked like he was shaking. Pam on the other hand was the picture of serenity. Not much longer, not much longer. The key is the element of surprise.

Olson finally joined his partner and let me know that Decker was on his way, about five minutes away. Good. Five minutes. Five long, terrifying, torturous minutes. Naturally, I would have much preferred hours alone with these assholes, but I was not going to take any chances. They were here in their police car, and their location was known as it had been called into the station. Five minutes was plenty of time.

I looked at Bill and gave him a smile, letting him know that we were about to go into action. I stepped out from the shadows and stood to my full height, making sure they both took in my size. The look in their eyes let me know that they had no idea who the hell I was.

"Mr. Lewis?" I took a step towards them, and they both took a simultaneous step back, placing their hands on their gun holsters as they did. I eyed their hands on their weapons and shook my head at them.

"Officers, why do you make a threatening move towards me? All I have done is taken a step. I am here to fucking tell you information and you reach for your fucking guns?" My yell boomed off of the vacant building. While they were busy taking in my appearance Bill had crept in behind them along with Pam.

"Don't move! Take another step Lewis and we'll be forced to draw our weapons!" I do believe that they just verbally threatened me.

"Oh, I do apologize. Did I forget to introduce myself? My name is Northman, but you can call me Sir. You see, I did come here tonight to give you information regarding a crime, just as promised. Only, this crime does not involve some petty car vandalism. No, this crime involves something far more…dangerous." My fangs descended and I could smell the fear course through both of their bodies.

Bill and Pam stepped up behind them and they heard their fangs extend also. They snapped around and saw another hungry vampire staring at them.

"What the fuck is going on here? Who the hell are you and what the fuck do you want?" Jones was shaking as he pointed his gun at me and then at Bill, unsure of who the first shot should be fired at. He might have been turned on when he saw Pam.

"I told you, my name is Northman, and I am here regarding a crime. A crime against my wife. Do you gentlemen know a vampire by the name of De Castro? Let me answer for you. You do, you took his dirty money to help him with a very nasty, very dangerous plan that involved the pain and torture of my wife. Ringing some bells?" Neither could speak, they just trembled in fear.

I looked at Bill and gave him a nod of my head, he quickly had Olson around the throat and was crushing his larynx, making it impossible for him to scream. Pam grabbed Jones around the neck and looked into his terrified eyes.

"Please, I got a family. I got a wife and kids, don't, please! I got a life." Begging, I love to hear people beg.

"You have a family, really? You have a life? Well you should have fucking thought about her life!" I raged at him and then I heard the bones crush in Pam's hand as he lost all ability to speak. Bill had dragged Olson away, I could hear rustling, but could have cared less about what he was doing. As long as it ended with him dead.

I pulled the knife from my boot and handed it to Pam, although she didn't need to use it, and I let him see the blade. His desperate, voiceless cries were priceless. I dragged the sharp, cold blade down his cheek, leaving a deep, crimson wound behind. I flicked my tongue out and lapped the blood as it spilled down his face. There is nothing like the taste of fear, fucking sweet.

I gave Pam an appreciative look and let her carry on with her plan, whatever fun that may be. I decided that I would sit back and take in the sight of these fuckers dying. I thoroughly enjoyed the sounds that his body made as I watched Pam cut across his flesh. I thought it would be a little much to have her draw a smiley face with a couple of fangs.

I'll give to asshole credit, he put up a good fight. Didn't want to go down too easy, so she let him think that he was doing a good job. Made a few ooh's and aah's, ouches and winces. I did promise her that she could dispose of them however she wished, and I could tell she was getting close to making that happen. When she was finished toying with him, I realized that our time was limited. My mood turned much more lethal.

I looked at him, sprawled out on the ground, bleeding, sweating, crying, and all I could picture was her. My beautiful wife, this is how she felt every day she was held, every time that he came near her, this is how scared she was. My anger and my hatred for what had happened to her became amplified and I glared at Pam, letting her know that his time was drawing to an end.

Pam grabbed him by the hair and bit into his neck, completely ripping his throat out in the process. She drank him until there was nothing left to drink, nothing but a useless corpse. I felt nothing, nothing but satisfaction. Bill walked towards us, noticeably pink from the kill that he just made. He had blood on his face and still had the look of lust in his eyes.

"Quickly, Decker will be here any minute. Turn the car on and shine the headlights on the lot. I want it to look like the fuckers have been sitting in the car. Pam, go grab their patrol hats and bring them to me." Bill went to start the car and Pam retrieved the hats.

"What do you have in mind Eric?" Pam was looking almost sunburned she was so flushed from feeding.

"Get in the backseat of the car. Bill take this hat and put it on, get in the front seat with me. When Decker gets here he'll see the car running, lights on, and two men with a passenger in the back. Nothing out of the ordinary, right?" I made my way to the car and folded myself into the drivers seat. Bill spied the laptop that was standard issue in these cars nowadays. He gave me an evil grin and began typing away.

I'm not sure what he was doing, but I'll say this, Compton knows how to navigate a fucking computer. For all I knew he was booking us all a massage at the local, luxury, vampire owned spa. Swedish massage for me and my love, I couldn't help but smile.

Pam sat in the backseat and sighed.

"Why does he get to sit in the front? It's not like you can even stand his fucking ass. Seriously, he should have to sit back here, where the criminals sit." My nerves were on edge and I did not want to deal with a moody child.

"Pamela, Bill is in the front because he has the figure of a man, unlike you. If you do not stop your whining I will see that you do not get to participate in any further torture or killing for the rest of the week. Do you understand me?" Did she have to be such a girl sometimes?

"Fine." What is it with women and that fucking word…Fine?

We all stopped our bickering because we heard the car about thirty seconds before it actually arrived. This was the last of the humans involved, the last kill for tonight. The unmarked car pulled up next to us and slowly came to a stop. He took a cautionary look in and got out of his car.

"Jones, what the fuck is going on? Why the hell can't you deal with some neighborhood crazy that wants to have a heart to heart? No wonder you're still walking the fucking beat. Jones, Jones?" He approached the car and went to lean on the door. I reached my long arm out and grabbed hold of his shoulder, making it impossible for him to get away.

I flung the car door open and saw that he had managed to get a handle on his gun. He fired three shots, two hitting me in the chest and one missing completely. The sting of the bullets caused me to release my death grip on him and he tried to run. Before he could get ten feet Bill was on top of him, dragging him to the ground.

Pam was in front of me, making sure my wounds were going to be fine. They were nothing more than your average bullet wounds, they would heal, but they hurt like a bastard. I silently told her that I was fine and gave her my permission to carry on with the plan. She met Bill and kneeled down to look in the eyes of the detective. He had already crushed his throat.

"Detective Decker, remember my face. You have wronged my Master and his Bonded, and for that you will pay with your life. You fucked with the wrong woman young man, and I'm here to see that she gets a little bit of pay back. Sookie Northman is not just another little blond barmaid, she is my friend and she is my Master's wife. You helped take something away from her, something that can never be given back. Now I'm going to take your life." I watched Pam work on him, causing him to groan and buck under the pain.

She brought her glowing eyes up to meet mine and must have seen that I was a little weak from the bullet wounds. She silently called for me to join her, I walked towards her and Bill and the wounded detective.

"Sheriff, please get some much needed nourishment before I end this miserable fuckers life." Pam, always looking out for me. I could not deny the fact that feeding from him would considerably speed up my healing. I sank my fangs into his neck and drank as much as I could, making sure he did not lose consciousness. When I pulled away I licked my lips and stood up, already feeling better.

"Leave the patrol car running, collect the bodies and get rid of them. I don't care what you do with them, just get rid of them. Take the unmarked car and get rid of that, sink it in the fucking swamps. Clean up as much of the blood as you can, if all else fails, set the fucking place on fire. Call me when you arrive back at home." All I wanted was to get home. I needed to wrap my arms around her. Three down, nine to go.

TBC…


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N- Just a little longer...I promise. All will be completed before Tuesday! That's only 5 more days until we get DAG!!!! Another round of thanks to everyone for the awesome reviews. You really have no idea how much they mean to me. **

**SPOV-**

I willed myself to sleep after he left. I couldn't just lay there and think about what was happening. I felt the nausea grip my gut and my heart start to pound out of my chest. I had to force myself to stay in bed and not go chasing after him, but it wasn't like he drew me a map. He didn't give me step by step directions with a big, red "X", stating "find murderous vampires here'. I prayed for sleep to take me. My eyes were so heavy and my body was feeling like lead. Every limb was crying to be relaxed.

I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling the tiny tears slip out the corners. All I wanted to do was fall asleep, be blissfully unaware of what was going on around me. I knew what Eric was doing, I knew that he was excited, hungry, lustful. I did not need to be. I let my mind drift away, thought about mindless things, and by the grace of God, I fell asleep.

I could not tell you how long I actually got to rest, but when I opened my eyes I felt more exhausted then before I closed them. I felt anxious, satisfied, but so very tired. I probed the bond and realized that I was feeling Eric. He was on his way home, and he was tired. He was getting closer by the minute, and the tension that was in my body was loosening. I knew the second his feet touched the ground outside of our house. He was home.

I threw myself out of bed and ran into the hallway to greet him. My eyes flew open as he stood before me, bloody. I did not know where he was wounded, but I could tell that whatever had hurt him was fairly serious.

"Oh my God, Eric. Are you alright? What do you need? Let me help you." My eyes swept over his body, trying to place to location of his wounds. They were somewhere in his torso.

"I am fine my love. My wounds have already closed, let's just go to bed." I could tell that he was still worked up from the fight he had just experienced, and his eyes were trying so hard to focus on me. They were so dark, so intense.

"Eric, no. We need to you cleaned up, what happened?" As soon as I asked I was unsure if I really wanted to know.

"Police carry guns. I am fine, it's not like I have not been shot before." He smiled at me, knowing how many bullets that he has taken for me alone.

We walked slowly into the bathroom, even though I knew he was doing it for my benefit. He draped his arm across my shoulders and made like I was actually helping him. When I got him in front of the tub I peeled the shirt from his body and saw the closed wounds in his chest. I couldn't help it, I let out a cry.

"Ssh, it is going to be fine. I am fine Sookie, no harm done, see?" He ran his fingers over his chest to show that there was no damage. Then he ran his fingers down my cheek to rub the tears away. I turned away from him and started to run the water so he could get in the bath.

"Is everyone else ok?" I tried to hide the worry in my voice.

"Yes, Pam and Bill are just fine. Neither of them were injured." He sounded quite calm about the whole thing.

"Please, get in the bath so I can get all the blood off of you." I motioned for him to get in the tub.

"Alone? You want me to take a bath alone?" He raised his eyebrow and questioned my actions.

"Yes. Get in the tub so I can get the blood and dirt off of you. We'll talk about me getting in after. Now go." I pushed him, hoping he would understand that I really did not like the idea of bathing in the dirty water that may possibly contain the blood of the people he just helped kill.

"You are a cruel woman." He reluctantly stepped into the hot water, sliding down. I silently took a cloth and washed the blood off his body. I shampooed his hair and made sure that every inch of him was cleaned. You have no idea all the places that blood can get.

After he was good and scrubbed I drained the water and he looked at me, disappointed and still full of bloodlust. I could feel how edgy he was, I knew how much he was holding back. In a very quick, very vampire way he jumped out of the tub and was leaning over me, pulling me to his wet body. My breath caught in my throat and I was looking into his dark, concentrated eyes. He crashed his mouth to mine and I felt like I couldn't breath.

Before I knew what was happening he had me perched on the edge of the bathroom vanity, balancing me on that very slight boundary. His hand was forcefully wrapped in my hair, limiting my ability to pull my head away from his face, while his other arm was snaked around my waist, keeping my body pressed into his. My head was spinning with the quickness of it all.

I couldn't help but respond to his intense, dominant way. I let my body fall into him, become limp in his hands. He pulled my face away from him and was all of a sudden gone. His mouth was no longer on my own, it had found its way down my body. With the same quickness as before, he was wrapping my legs around his shoulders, burying himself between my legs.

I threw my head back and let out something along the lines of a sigh crossed with a scream. He had completely thrown me off, and now I was jelly in his hands, uh, mouth. I could feel his tongue gliding along my center, skillfully teasing me, playing with me, devouring me. I was sure I was going to fall right off the ledge of that vanity.

I felt him take one hand and steady it on my hip, making sure to keep me safe on my perch. Then I felt his very long fingers slide into me, making my body jump with the added pleasure. Good thing he was keeping me steady on the counter. He circled me, making sure he crooked his fingers just the right way.

"Oh my God, oh God, Eric, God, aargh." I couldn't stand the pressure that was building up inside of me. "Now, please, Eric. God, oh please!" I needed him to release everything that was inside of me. I watched him remove him mouth from my center and turn it to my thigh. He kept up the motions with his fingers, and bit, soft and slow into my thigh, sending me into a hard and exhaustive orgasm. He drew on the wounds and every time I felt him take my blood into his mouth and aftershock shot through my body. I was trembling with pleasure, I was completely spent.

**EPOV-**

I knew that I needed to get home and be with her. The bullets had taken a lot out of me, but having that assholes blood had helped, greatly. Compared to Sookie, he tasted like rancid meat. She is so sweet, so intoxicating. She was what I needed. She would help me more than any other person ever could. I raced through the night air, desperate to get to her.

I knew that she was asleep because I could only feel her hum. At least she didn't have to fucking feel the pain from the gun shots, that fucking sucked. I hate getting shot, it really pisses me off. It makes me feel extremely tired and run down as I recover. I hate feeling weak, I am not fucking weak.

When I touched down at our house I knew that she was awake. I could feel her and she was starting to freak out. I expected her to be at the door waiting, so I was a little surprised when I made it half way up the stairs before she came running to me. Her face was painful to see. The concern and the need to help me was astonishing.

She was so small, so fragile compared to me. But, there she stood before me, hands stretched out, asking for what she could do to make things better. I do not think that there has ever been a more selfless creature than her. I let my arm fall across her shoulders and acted as though she was supporting me. If I actually put my weight on her we'd probably both go tumbling down the stairs.

I gave her a very brief, very vague answer about police carrying guns, hoping it would settle her desire for answers. We walked at a painfully slow pace to the bathroom. I could have us there in the blink of an eye, but still let her set the pace. If she needed to feel like she was taking care of me, I'd fucking be her patient.

We walked right into the bathroom and I was ready to hop into the tub with her. I wanted to sit back in the warm water and let the blood lust relax out of my body. I wanted it to be replaced with lust for her, not for blood and danger. My skin anticipated her touch, begged for her caress. When she stripped the shredded shirt from my body she let out a cry, shocked to see the healing bullet wounds. I felt the need to touch my chest to reassure her that everything was going to be fine. The tears that streaked her face begged me to lick them, but all I could do was brush them away.

She fucking turned her back to me, shut me out. She fumbled with the water, making sure the temperature was alright. Like I fucking care how hot or cold the water is. I knew that she was overwhelmed with what must have happened. She lowered her voice and asked about the others. Still worried about everyone else.

"Please, get in the bath so I can get all the blood off of you." She motioned with her head to the water filled tub, not making the slightest move to get naked.

"Alone? You want me to take a bath alone?" Are you fucking serious? Did she really want me to bathe by myself, without her? What a waste of water.

She assured me she was serious and I got a feeling through the bond that this was more about her comfort rather than me wanting to have my way with her. It took all I had not to pull her in that water with me. I wanted her, now.

The feeling of her washing me, caring for me, soothing me was causing me to come undone. My was very aware of my aching erection and just needed to have her. Her fingers massaging my scalp was actually almost enough to make me come right there. The way she fucking touched me sent a wave of shivers right to the tip of my dick. I was certainly clean, but could only think of very dirty things to do to her.

She pulled the drain and I was certain that she would be refilling the water after the murky, blood tinged water had all whirled away. But, she just looked at me, waiting for me to get out. What the fuck is going on? Doesn't she realize how badly I need to have her, feel her? I could no longer hold back, she was mine and my Gods I was going to taste her.

I was like a flash of lightning, hovering over her, capturing her with my eyes. I grasped her, pulled her into my soaking wet body, and prayed she would quickly be as wet as me. I could hear the breath rush out of her body, she was startled.

I grabbed a fistful of her silk hair and dove into her, like she was the air that I used to breath. I picked her up and quickly set her down on the edge of the counter, making sure she was easily accessible. I pursued her mouth and her lips like they were my prey, my tongue roaming every space in between. I held her firmly, one hand in her hair while the other kept her body pressed against my hips. So fucking intoxicating this woman.

I felt her body slack and knew that she completely caught up in the moment. She was now returning my kiss with equal passion, equal hunger.

I tore my lips from her mouth and could sense the loss of the feeling, but I quickly found myself another area to kiss. I took her gorgeous legs and wrapped them around my neck, opening her to me. I dove into her, finding that she was as wet as I had been. The perfume of her arousal was a drug, and I became a junkie long ago.

I let my tongue lazily stroke her, tease her. I knew exactly what I needed to do to bring her to an almost instant orgasm, but right now she tasted too fucking sweet. I wanted to relish her, savor her, consume her. I took long, deliberate strokes of her folds, enjoying the sounds that her body was making. I brought my hand up to steady her, it would be just like her to go tumbling right off that little ledge.

Her nightgown was around her waist, and I slipped my fingers right into her wet, hot core. She was pressing against my hand, practically begging for her release. All in good time. I just needed to taste her for a little bit longer. I bent my finger inside of her, reaching for the spot that would provide her the most pleasure.

"Oh my God, oh God, Eric, God, aargh." Now she was fucking begging for her release and nothing sounded sweeter. "Now, please, Eric. God, oh please!" I was more than willing at this point, and turned to her thigh, knowing the minute my fangs broke the flesh she would be lost in her climax. I turned my eyes towards her and made sure that she saw me, fingers working, fangs extended. I licked the sweet spot, and gently bit into her.

The screams that escaped her lips were enough to bring on the release of my own orgasm. Pulling her blood, feeding from her, feeling her climax around my hand was more than enough to cause me to explode. I came pretty fucking hard for someone that was only pleasuring his wife. She was so engrossed in her own orgasm that she didn't even know that I was having my own. I could feel her body tremble each time I pulled on the tiny wounds.

She was covered in the most beautiful sheen of sweat. I scooped her up and cradled her to me, carrying her to bed. I settled us both under the covers and whispered to her how much I loved her. She was asleep before we even got out of the bathroom.

**SPOV-**

When I opened my eyes it was almost two in the afternoon. I had slept all night, not even realizing I was in bed. Wow, Eric sure knew how to get a girl to sleep. I thought about his mouth on me last night and immediately felt my body flush. Bathrooms are definitely my favorite place to make love to my husband.

I jumped out of bed and tended to my human needs. I remembered that I had therapy at three and was happy that I didn't sleep longer than what I already had. I took a quick shower and refused to let my mind go over the fact that people were killed last night.

I made myself some coffee and a bagel, loaded it with some cream cheese, and was happy I still had ten minutes before I needed to leave. I pulled out my phone and called Amelia.

"Hi, I just want to say again how sorry I am for interrupting you last night. Did you get anything? I know it hasn't been that long, I'm just a little anxious." I think she could hear how jumpy the subject of Selah made me and decided to not be her usual evasive self.

She told me that she was able to get a little info and we decided to meet half way between Bon Temps and Shreveport. I told her that I had an appointment and would meet her at the coffee a little before five o'clock. Again, I thought it better to just ignore the whole killing people thing.

I pulled out of the driveway and like clockwork, the security car pulled behind me. I gave him a little wave in my rearview mirror, not surprised when he only nodded in return. I'm sure Eric gave him the whole speech about being an employee and there will be no socializing, yadda, yadda, yadda. Vampires.

I thought about what I would tell Barbie. She had given me what I needed to go into Felipe's compound. So far, she had kept to her code of ethics and not told Niall about my plan. Maybe she was someone that I really could trust, someone that could make me feel whole again, or at the very least, almost whole.

I thought about what I would tell her about my attack, about the big, bad plot to kill Eric, claim me. I would tell her all about my bravery, saving Eric, taking out Felipe. She would be proud of me, happy for me. She would understand that I did what I had to do for the man that I loved.

Like a light switch, my confidence turned into panic. I did what I needed to do, just like Eric did what he felt like he needed to do, is still in the process of doing. I can't tell her about any of this. Sweat started to build on my forehead and I needed to turn the a/c on in Eric' corvette. Oh hell, I couldn't tell her because actual people have been killed.

How hard would it be for her to figure out that there were a few missing cops from the Monroe PD. She's a smart lady, she's a freakin doctor! If she knows that we had anything to do with it she could go to the police. No, I couldn't tell her. I couldn't let her know that my life had been manipulated and purposely screwed up.

The sweat dripped down my back and I could feel my heart race. Christ, what good progress I'm making. I plastered on my creepy smile and walked into her office. I'll be damned if I'm going to tell her anything.

We had a rather normal session. Talked about my trip to Las Vegas, Eric, how grateful I was for her assistance. We discussed how be married to a vampire Sheriff is always full of surprises, but worth it in the end. I hated to think that I might one day be married to a vampire King. I was just fine with the way things were right now.

Then she brought up the subject of revenge, like she was able to read my mind. I lowered my shields and discovered that this was all normal shrink talk.

"Sookie, how do you feel since your attacker is dead? Are you upset that you can't inflict any further pain on him? Do you want to seek revenge for his crimes against you?" Well that was a loaded question. How do you respond to that, knowing what I know. 'Well since you mention it, I was really set up. Eric and I were a part of a big master plan. People schemed and planned to torture and rape me. Hell, he got off easy…you should see the other guy's'.

Something told me to just go with it, be as vague as possible.

"No, I don't really feel anything. It was the only way that I could get away. At the time I didn't look at it like revenge, all I was thinking about was getting out alive." It was true, at the time I was just trying to get away.

"Do you think about revenge, hurting him, punishing him?" She gave me her studious, serious look.

"Well sure, but he's dead. It's not like I'm going to go out and dig up his corpse and torture it." I tried to give a stressed laugh, but she didn't seem amused.

"It's perfectly natural to want to seek revenge. It's part of the healing process, as long as you realize that this is not something that is a reality. You can think about it, and then move on. When you find that the thoughts are taking over your life, interrupting your daily activities, consuming you, then you have a problem." She's obviously never been married to a vampire, or dated one for that matter.

"I understand. I don't think about it that much, just when I'm really feeling down." Saved by the clock, our session was over. I smiled at her and booked another appointment.

I thought about our conversation as I drove to meet Amelia. If she only knew how involved in revenge I actually was. She probably consider me completely crazy, unhealthy, tapped. Oh well, I'll chalk it up to being around my vampires for so long. You can't get away with prank calling them without expecting some type of retaliation.

Even fairies have a weird sense of payback, Niall offered to kill Eric for me? She must be really good at her job.

I pulled into the parking lot of the coffee shop and told Thomas that I was meeting my friend Amelia. He followed me in and took a seat in a booth that had a good view of the door. He looked like a secret service agent among all of suburbia. I spotted Amelia and hugged her, still feeling bad about interrupting her good time last night.

"Hi, it's so good to see you. Don't you dare apologize again about last night, I don't want you wasting your time when you can be explaining what this is all about." She held up an envelope with a bunch of papers in it.

We found a table and each grabbed a cup of coffee. I pulled my chair closer to her, making sure there were no listening ears.

"Well, I found out a whole bunch of stuff that really sucks, and Selah was involved. Amelia…" I took a deep breath, knowing that she would probably freak out when she heard my words. "Felipe hired a bunch of people to see that I got kidnapped and hurt. I wasn't just someone that was in the wrong place at the wrong time, it was all planned, everything." I could see the panic set in her face and the tears fill her eyes. I put my hand on her leg and willed her not to break down.

"Please, not here. I'm fine, I'll be fine. Listen to me, you have to listen to me." I paused and waited for her to nod that she was still with me. I watched her swallow several times, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Selah was part of this plan. Turns out she has a bit of witch in her. She was hired by Felipe to help him. Claudine thinks that she put some type of spell on the parking lot when I was being grabbed, something to block out the connection I have with her, to make sure that no one could feel my danger." I looked around the room to make sure that we were still pretty invisible.

"Oh my god, I had no idea. I'm so sorry, I'll kill her. I swear to god I'll kill her." I never questioned Amelia's threats, and this was no exception.

"No worries. I guess she was pretty certain about not wanting anyone to know she was a witch. Bill said it was real hard for him to figure out it was her. He's sure torn up about it, he did date her and all. But, what do you have for me." I turned my eyes to the large envelope.

"I bet Bill is torn up. He's the one that brought that bitch into your life, and she does this. Who the hell does she think she is?" I knew it was a rhetorical question so I just looked at her. "I found out that she has no ties to any coven in the States. I couldn't find out who her mentor was, maybe she's dead. Just out of curiosity, I took a drive by her house. She has some serious magic going on, protective wards up the ass. There is no way she can be self taught, not with the energy coming from her house." Amelia's eyes were engrossed in the paper's in front of her.

"Any idea if you can break the wards? Do you think that they are strong enough to hold? Do those paper's say if maybe her mother was a witch?" It was worth a shot, right?

"I'm not sure, the wards were strong. The easiest way would be an invitation, of course. She's afraid of something, or else she wouldn't have that type of magic surrounding her house. I'll look into her mom, she could have been a witch. It's not uncommon for daughters to follow their maternal instincts. Bill was right, she does not want anyone to know she's a witch." I smiled at her obvious statement.

We sat for a while longer, talking about Vegas and the fact that I had run away from Eric. We laughed a little, cried less, and drank our coffee. It was nice, in a murderous conspiracy kind of way. I hadn't even noticed that the sun had begun to set. I looked outside and saw that the sky was turning pink as the sun began its evening descent.

I hugged Amelia and told her that I would call her in a bit, begging her to continue to dig up dirt on Selah. I didn't need to beg much, she was more than willing to help. She also had no idea that it was going to be leading to her demise. I raced home, not wanting Eric to be worried about his precious car. But, that's the price you pay when you destroy your wife's perfectly fine vehicle. Serves him right if he was worried.

I pulled in to the garage and sensed that something was off. I ran inside, hoping he was waiting for me in the shower, I did after all love that bathroom. Instead I found silence. The house was empty, deafening with its quiet. I yelled out his name, but knew he was not there. I walked into our room and spotted the note on the bed. If that note say's goodbye I swear I'll stake him myself.

_My Love,_

_I have gone out to tend to some details. Please do not call my phone as it is not with me. I am also not at the bar, just know that I should be home soon. It pains me to wake when you are not home, but it is better tonight. I plan on ravaging you properly the minute I walk through the door. I hope to find you waiting for me. I will send your regards to Alcide. All of my love my angel._

_E _

I should have known. Eric was nothing if not thorough. All I could do was wait for him to come home, hopefully with no bullet wounds. Revenge…never even thought of it.

TBC…


	32. Chapter 32

**EPOV-**

When I rose I found her gone and knew that she had an appointment with her doctor. I can only assume that after she was going to meet with the witch as she was insistent that she get as much information as possible. As much as I enjoy rising to find her, naked, waiting for me, tonight I felt relieved.

I found the disposable phone and called Alcide. I needed him to lure the Were's to some meeting place, I didn't care where. After I explained everything to him he was more than willing to help. All I needed to do was tell him that I had proof of their involvement and he was in. I knew that his loyalty towards Sookie would be very beneficial. I'll give dogs credit for their loyalty. I quickly left a note to let her know not to worry. I'm sure she all but choked when she found another note waiting for her in an empty bedroom.

He decided that it would be best to handle this on his turf, so I flew to an abandoned warehouse that his pack often had meetings at. Just like last night, the thrill of a good fight was taking over my body. I wanted to fucking rip them limb from limb. I wanted to skin them and use them as rugs. I would need to keep my lust under control, there is no way Sookie would be asleep tonight. I did not want her feeling this.

The bullet wounds from last night had healed nicely. I actually felt refreshed and anticipated whatever fight they might be able to put up. Were's are obviously more of a challenge than the fucking humans, but still no match for a vampire such as myself. I chose not to involve Pam and Bill tonight, this was all for me.

When I arrived at the site I could smell that Alcide was already inside, along with the other's. My vampire hearing picked up that he was trying to come up with something vaguely ambiguous to explain to them about the reason they were there. I'll give the assholes credit, they all knew that they were involved. They knew that they were the only ones called to this warehouse, and that they were obviously there to answer for their involvement.

I heard one of them raise his voice to Alcide and then I heard the unmistakable noise of them changing into their wolf forms. When I crashed through the door to the large, open spaced room I found the four wolves slowly stalking Alcide. Alcide is much larger in size than the others, but four against one is still piss poor odds. When he saw me come through the door he let out a howl and leapt right on top of the nearest wolf, biting and gnawing at the flesh on its back.

I rushed towards the others with my speed, causing them to fucking leap in all directions. Their was growling and howling, from all of us. It was melodic and to me it sounded like a true battle. As one of the smaller wolves tried to run by me in order to get better position I grabbed a hold of his tail, spinning him in the air. I threw him with all my strength into the wall, hearing his back break as he hit the cement. He yelped as he hit the hard wall.

I walked over to him and he was unable to move, completely paralyzed. As he uncontrollably shifted back into his human form I looked at his pathetic face. I hated him and I didn't even know who he was. All I knew was that he hurt Sookie in a way that she would never recover from. I took my fist and I crashed it down on his head, shattering his skull and ending his life.

I turned my attention back to Alcide, who was now taking on two of the Were's. That got me thinking, were was the other? Just as the thought entered my mind the wolf jumped out from a corner and landed on my back. He ripped through my flesh with his teeth and I felt his claws attach themselves to my shoulder. I shook my body to try and make him release me, but I could feel that he had himself anchored pretty well. His jaws snapped at my back and each time I felt him take a new bite from my flesh.

"You fucking dog, make sure you get a good bite to eat. This will be your last meal!" My voice was full of hatred and pain. I was screaming each time I felt his teeth bite. I looked around and could not see anything that I could use as a weapon, and the wolf had landed in such a spot that I could not reach him.

Finally, after what felt like hours, I propelled myself into the air. I must have shocked the wolf because he momentarily stopped his assault on my flesh. I began to fly towards the wall backwards, and not at a slow pace. The only way to get this fucker off of me was going to be to force him off of me, by knocking the shit out of him.

I could sense that he knew what was coming, and I think that I heard him whimper right before the impact, but really, who cares? I bombarded the wall with my body, making sure that wolf was still good and anchored. As soon as I flung myself into the wall, I heard the wolf all but explode. I felt his body literally disintegrate behind me. The force was to great, he just became a gelatinous mass of nothing. I'm glad I didn't wear any of my nice clothes to this raucous.

I could feel the remnants of the wolf on my body, in my hair, on my clothes. Sookie will not be pleased if I drag any of this mess into the house. I might have to burn the clothes and fly home au natural. I found Alcide holding his own against the two others, but was ready to end this. As I approached I watched him very skillfully bite into the throat of one of the wolves. I heard the bones crush under the weight of his teeth and saw the blood start to pool on the floor. I saw the wolf go slack and knew that he was no more.

The last remaining wolf was terrified. Still in his shifted form I could see him trembling, shaking. He knew he was going to die, and he was ready to give up the fight. He trotted slightly away and began to shift back into his human shape. He looked no more than twenty years old, merely a child. His eyes were wild with the knowledge that he had just witnessed his friends deaths, and his was still to come. He walked back towards Alcide and I and kneeled before us.

"Please, I needed the money. I only did it because I needed the money. I knew it was a bad idea, I knew of her status with your pack. I knew who she was married to, but my mother is sick. I needed to pay for her medical bills so we could keep getting her help. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." For a brief moment I actually thought about his words. As quickly as I heard them I forgot them. I reached out and lifted him off the ground, sinking my fangs into his throat. I drained him in a matter of minutes and tossed his corpse on the ground next to the others.

I turned to look at Alcide and gave him a deep and appreciative nod, letting him know that I was thankful for his assistance.

"I will send money, please see that his mother is cared for." Fucking speeches, get me every time.

**SPOV-**

I nervously watched TV while I waited for him to come home. I thought about everything from my appointment with Barbie, to my talk with Amelia, to last night with Eric. I flipped through the TV channels and realized that there was absolutely nothing interesting for me to watch. I huffed at the television and walked into the kitchen, hoping that I could pass the time by cooking something.

I peered into the fridge and got hit with a pain that was taking my breath away. I heaved and worried that I was going to drop to my knees. It hurt like hell, and I knew that something was happening to Eric. He was off God knows where, doing God Knows what, and obviously he was being hurt. Tears fell from my eyes as the pain began to lessen and lessen. It was suddenly replaced by anger, and something along the lines of satisfaction? All I knew was that whatever was hurting me so badly before, was now gone.

I pulled out a chair to the table and sat down, trying to calm my body down from the ping ponging feelings. I laid my head on the cool surface and closed my eyes. As I sat there I thought about how deeply I was involved in this eye for an eye world. If you had told me years before that I would have willingly took part in the planning and murder of anyone, I would have slapped you for such heinous accusations. But, here I sit, waiting for my husband to return from a killing spree. One that I knew of, talked of, agreed to. My stomach did flips as tried to wrap my brain around the person that I was.

I was feeling so completely torn with what was going on. I had been so betrayed, so deeply hurt, and I knew that I was never going to be the same person. I knew that Eric would never let anyone get away with hurting me in such a way. He has always been so protective, so focused on ensuring my safety, and God help anyone that dare defy him or us. I had completely accepted that this was how my life was. I had made peace with the way vampires dealt with politics and punishments. It is just how things are done, period.

I couldn't turn back now, people had already lost their lives. Eric and everyone else would be so disappointed in me, I would look weak and pathetic. Unable to deal with the people that had so dramatically changed the course of my life. It was a cruel and unforgiving circle, never ending in its emotional turmoil. I prayed that one day I would be able to not care, but if that day ever comes, that will be the day that I have finally lost my soul. I just kept my head on the table, sniffling and wiping the tears away from my face, happy that Eric was not seeing this moment of weakness.

"Lover, are you alright?" Shit, wasn't I just saying I was happy he wasn't home. I snapped my head up and looked at him. He was naked, covered in blood, wounded.

"Jesus, Eric, what happened? Are you alright?" Well, he's standing in front of me, naked, I'm sure he is fine.

"Of course I'm alright. I didn't want to bring a mess into the house so I destroyed my clothes. I just need to get cleaned up and I will be just fine. Why are you crying?" He walked towards me and I noticed he had something more than blood in his hair, eew. I decided not to ask.

"Eric, I was just having a moment. I felt something and I realized that you were being hurt. I can see now that you were obviously doing just fine. Anyway, I was feeling guilty and bad about myself." I looked at him, hoping he would understand what I was trying to explain.

"I am going to take a quick shower. We will finish this discussion when I get out." He turned away from me and walked upstairs. I could see that he had wounds on his back that were in the process of recovery. I felt my body shiver.

I got up and decided that now would be a good time to make myself a quick bite to eat. With Eric's quickness he would most likely be showered and dressed in less than five minutes. I put together a quick salad and ate it even faster. Did I really want to tell him that I was regretting the whole thing? Did I really want to tell him that I was scared that I was losing myself? Could I handle the look on his face if I told him that I was unsure the we did the right thing? I didn't have any more time to think, he was back.

"Now, are you going to tell me why you were crying?" He looked so much better than five minutes ago. Clean, pink, healthy.

"I was scared, that's all. I felt pain and I knew that you were in trouble, but I didn't know what was going on. I was just worried. You're home now, I'll be just fine." Yup, call me a coward.

"Sookie, I can sense that there is something more that you are not telling me. Please, tell me the truth." His eyes pleaded with me to tell him everything, they glowed the exotic blue that made me melt.

"I was scared and nervous and afraid of losing you again. I saw the note in the bedroom and it just made me think to the last time I found a note from you, when you said goodbye. It all makes me so scared that something could go wrong." What's a little white lie covered in the truth?

"Dear one, I will never leave you. You must realize that I will always fight to come back to you and will always protect you." He held my hand and kissed my cheek softly. No, I couldn't tell him, I lost all nerve. "So, did you learn anything from your witch friend?" He sat down next to me and stared at me intently.

I gave him a brief run down about what I had learned, and made sure to cover the wards that Selah had put in place. When I mentioned the powerful magic that she had placed around the house he took a moment to think about those words. I was like he was repeating the words over and over in his head.

"So, she is terribly afraid, and has put protective wards all over her home. Strong protective wards, powerful magic, Hmm." He tapped his fingers on the table and stared mindlessly at the kitchen table.

"Yes, Amelia was very certain that it was very powerful magic. She said that she was definitely scared and trying to keep someone out, the energy coming off the wards was huge. She thought that the only way to get through them would be an invitation." I almost felt guilty that I said it because I knew how this conversation was going to end.

"Really, an invitation? That shouldn't be too hard." In a flash he was on the phone. "Compton, get over to that bitch's house. I don't care what you need to tell her to get inside, pledge your undying love for all I care. Just get her to invite you in, do you understand me? Sookie spoke to her friend today, she told her that there are protective wards set up around the house and an invitation would be the best way in." His voice was cold and steady. "Call me back on this number once you are inside." He turned to look at me and I was very uneasy.

"Do you think that Bill will be able to get inside?" I was secretly hoping that he would say no.

"Of course he will lover, I'm sure he can be very convincing when he needs to be. Now, as much as I would like to stay here and have you invite me inside you, I really need to go. The faster Bill gets inside her house the faster this can be done with, unless you want to…" He gave me a sideways smirk.

"No, I don't even want to think about it." I paused for a moment and almost felt like I was going to throw up. I was so scared, so nervous. I took a deep breath and looked at him. "Eric, I know that you told me that you have never done this before. But, I need you to make me a promise?" I hesitated and waited for him to nod his head in order for me to carry on. "Promise me that you won't, violate her. No one deserves to have that done to them. I don't care what they have done, it just is so brutal, so horrific. Please, don't do that to her, please don't…" I was suddenly sobbing. He pulled me in to his chest.

"Sookie, I have never taken a woman against her will and I never would. You don't need to make me promise you that, it is something that I have never considered. You are so strong to be so concerned about someone that has wronged you in such a permanent manner. Please do not cry, I understand why you are upset. I love you, it will all be alright." He soothed me and rubbed my hair, making sure that I was OK. I looked up into his eyes and saw that he was truly concerned for me. I kissed him softly and told him to be safe. I just didn't have the courage to tell him No.

**EPOV-**

As I thought, I shed my clothing and burned them in a clearing about two miles away from the house. I felt no guilt over the fact that I had left Alcide to clean up the mess in the warehouse. After all, they were affiliated with his pack. If they were vamps from my Area, I would have cleaned up, or had someone clean up for me. The night air was so cool in my naked body, it made me feel exhilarated and anxious for more.

I was too involved in my own fucking euphoria to feel that Sookie was upset. Had I been more in tuned with our bond, I may have felt her despair. But, I had partially shut it down in order to prevent her from feeling the joy that I got from a good and hard fought battle. When I arrived at home I found her in the kitchen, head down on the table, crying to herself. I don't know how long I stood there, but I just watched her, silently.

"Lover, are you alright?" Her look of shock mirrored that of last night. Only this time I was actually naked. I felt a lot better than I did the previous evening also, so she didn't rush to my side.

"Jesus, Eric, what happened? Are you alright?" She couldn't help but take in the fact that I was standing before her, naked.

"Of course I'm alright. I didn't want to bring a mess into the house so I destroyed my clothes. I just need to get cleaned up and I will be just fine. Why are you crying?" I thought that it would be better to lighten the mood and thought she would appreciate my attempt to not get the house dirty. I cautiously stepped towards her but I could feel that she was having doubts about my current state.

"Eric, I was just having a moment. I felt something and I realized that you were being hurt. I can see now that you were obviously doing just fine. Anyway, I was feeling guilty and bad about myself." Guilty and bad about herself? Was she fucking serious? What the fuck should she be feeling bad about, its not as though she has done anything wrong. She looked at me with her hopeful eyes, I knew she wasn't ready to explain. "I am going to take a quick shower. We will finish this discussion when I get out." I turned away from her and knew that she was more than happy to be done with this conversation, however brief the reprieve was.

I cleaned myself up, washed my hair and was more than surprised to see the amount of the Were that actually got brought home with me. No wonder she was looking at me with such confusion and apprehension, I was covered in pieces of another person. Oh well, isn't the first time, sure as hell won't be the last.

When I was done cleaning I quickly dressed and could feel that she was still upset. She was not angry though, what I was feeling was guilt, anxiety, sadness. I could sense that she was going back and forth with something, but was not quite sure of how to handle it. She was overwhelmed with her emotions, she was confused.

I found her still in the kitchen, finishing a salad that she had made for herself while I showered. I asked her if she was going to tell me why she was crying and she instantly smiled. I must certainly look better now that I'm not matted in fucking Were. We went back and forth about the pain that she felt and that she was afraid that she would lose me, again. As soon as I reassured her and told her that I would always protect her I felt a sudden surge of guilt. I knew immediately that was what was bothering her, she was feeling guilty about what was happening around her.

I knew that this might happen. I knew that she might realize that she had really did not want to be a part of any of this, and that it would haunt her for the rest of her life. Now, feeling the turmoil that she was experiencing I knew, she was in way too deep. My Sookie, my wife, my love. She is in no way a ruthless, blood thirsty, revenge seeking killer. Now, she is struggling with the fact that this has started, and she is right in the thick of it. I decided to try and change the subject, but not entirely.

I asked about the meeting she had with her friend, and she told me about the wards that were in place at that evil witch's house. Something powerful, protective, something that she was deeply afraid of was propelling her to put such magic around her dwelling. As soon as she said invitation I knew exactly what to do. Compton, fucking Compton was going to make this right. He brought her into all of this, he was sure as hell going to help get her out of it.

I grabbed the disposable phone and called him, letting him know that he needed to get to her house and gain entrance. He actually sounded fucking happy and up to the challenge. I hung up and looked at her.

"Do you think that Bill will be able to get inside?" I could tell that she was feeling torn about this.

"Of course he will lover, I'm sure he can be very convincing when he needs to be. Now, as much as I would like to stay here and have you invite me inside you, I really need to go. The faster Bill gets inside her house the faster this can be done with, unless you want to…" I grinned at her, hoping my inappropriate remark would calm her and make her laugh a little. I also was trying to gauge her to see if she would ask me not to go through with it.

"No, I don't even want to think about it." She stopped talking, almost thinking too hard about what she was about to say. I could feel her entire body tense. "Eric, I know that you told me that you have never done this before. But, I need you to make me a promise?" Everything in my being wanted to protect her in that moment, she looked so vulnerable, so scared. She was scared to death and she was fighting everything that she was feeling. I nodded my head to let her know that I was listening to her. "Promise me that you won't, violate her. No one deserves to have that done to them. I don't care what they have done, it just is so brutal, so horrific. Please, don't do that to her, please don't…" She began to sob and the words that had come out of her mouth were so unbearable. I have never raped a woman, and it was painful to hear her beg me not to do this to an enemy. She had been hurt, tortured, and her main concern was to not let the same thing happen to someone involved in her pain. I grabbed her and held her close to me, trying to calm her and sooth her.

"Sookie, I have never taken a woman against her will and I never would. You don't need to make me promise you that, it is something that I have never considered. You are so strong to be so concerned about someone that has wronged you in such a permanent manner. Please do not cry, I understand why you are upset. I love you, it will all be alright." I waited for her to ask me not to leave, I waited for her to stop crying. I kissed her and held her, feeling so lucky that she was mine. She never asked me to stay, instead she told me to be safe. I walked away from her and again took to the night air.

As I was high above the city I heard my disposable phone ring and saw that Compton was calling already.

"That was quick. You must really have a way with this one." I know, don't talk on a phone and fly at the same time. I listen to him for a moment and felt my blood grow hot. "I don't fucking care, get her to let you in her house. Do whatever it goddamned takes, it's the only way!" Apparently Selah is holed up inside, rambling on about vampires trying to kill her and secret plots. Bill said she is chanting away, presumably keeping the wards up. I really don't fucking give a shit what he does to get inside, as long as he does it. If he can get inside he can glamour her into dropping the wards. Then I can enter with no problem.

I circled her house a few times, seeing Compton on the porch, talking to her through the door. I could hear him trying to calm her, assure her that he meant her no harm. He sure had on his smooth, southern gentleman voice. Sweetheart this, sweetheart that. I almost wanted to fucking puke up the blood I drained out of that Were earlier. I heard him begging her to open the door so they could talk. He was concerned with the way she was acting, that she was not behaving like herself.

Finally I perched myself on the roof and just waited, I didn't care how ling it would be. I could hear her inside, she was all but hysterical. I heard Bill call her something, something other than sweetheart. I think it may have been Sely, obviously something that only he referred to her by. The minute she heard him call her that the chanting ceased. He must have picked up on that because he continued to refer to her by this. He spoke to her about the plans that they had once discussed, visiting Peru, taking an extended vacation, possibly going into business together. He almost made me believe that he was speaking the fucking truth. No wonder Sookie wasn't able to see through the lies when he first came back to Bon Temps.

I heard the unlocking of her doors and the sliding of the chain. When the door creaked open I saw Bill smile at her. He was as smooth as silk, fucking perfect. He asked her so delicately if he could come in, and when she opened the door to him, he kissed her, deep, convincingly passionate. It wouldn't be long now.

**SPOV-**

I felt his loss when he left. I was just standing there, alone with my thoughts. All I needed to do was ask him to stay, and I think that he would have. I really think that he would have stayed and held me for as long as I asked him to. But, I lacked the strength and the courage to say the words, I was too afraid of him thinking me weak. Now, I was angry at myself for not having the nerve. Could I live with myself for not finding the words?

I stood there, just absent mindedly playing with my hair, thinking about too many things. My cell phone rang and I must have jumped a mile it scared me so much. It was Amelia and I was happy to hear from her.

I flipped open my phone and I didn't even get a chance to say hello before she was yelling into the phone.

"Wait, slow down. I can't understand what you're trying to say. What did you find out? Where, are you sure? Oh my stars, you're positive? I'll meet you there." I hung up my phone and ran to Eric's car. Amelia was already on her way to Selah's house and was going to meet me there. Apparently Amelia had found out as much as she could about Selah, and it was eye opening.

Her mother was a witch, a witch that knew Octavia. They had practiced together in New Orleans. Her mother never really knew that Selah was learning the practice, as a child it upset her when she saw her mother chanting and it scared her. As she grew up she became more concerned with making a profitable career for herself, having money, having a high society lifestyle. She felt that witch craft was not held in high respect, sp she hid her beliefs from anyone and everyone.

Her mother finally found her doing spells in her apartment one night and called her out on the fact that she was hiding her true self. Her mother was so upset as she was so proud to be a witch. Selah and her mother had a great fight, the very next day Katrina hit. Her mother was never heard from again. Selah found her body a week later, she was laying on the side of the road, gripping a protective amulet. She has never gotten over the fact that she fought with her mother. She moved from New Orleans to Monroe and changed her name, she used to be Selena Hodge. No wonder we couldn't find out anything about her, we didn't know who she really was.

My heart was hurting for this woman, this woman that had hurt me so deeply. We had more in common than I ever could have imagined. She had tragically lost her mother, and did not get a chance to say good bye. I know how hard it is to carry that everyday. As much as I hated this woman, I still understood the pain that she experienced. It does not excuse her actions, but I somehow gave me more of an understanding as to how someone could become so tainted.

I roared Eric's car up to her house and screeched it to a stop. The door was open to the house and I was so scared of what I would find inside. Amelia pulled up less than minute later, more worked up than I could have imagined.

"The wards…their gone? She took down the wards." She eyes me nervously.

"Well, lets go see what's going on. We can walk inside, right?" I didn't want to be walking into some other form of magic. Amelia closed her eyes and quickly opened them.

"Yes, I think it's fine. Can you hear anything?" We took a cautious step towards her front door.

I cast out my mental net and got the two voids, Eric and Bill. Then I heard her, she was chanting something, she sounded desperate, like she was losing time. I looked at Amelia and we began to run.

We pushed the door open and I saw Bill and Eric holding her, she was fighting and covered in blood. She had taken quite a beating. Amelia heard her chants and knew instantly what she was trying to do.

"Eric, she's trying to lessen your strength. She is trying to weaken you and your mind. But, she's a little off? Did you Glamour her or something?" Amelia sounded a little out of breath. Bill turned to her and smiled, admitting his part in getting them into the house.

"I could sense she was working some magic. She has been putting up quite a fight, and under normal circumstances this would have long been over with. She is so much trouble, seriously, I think it is about time to finish her off." He went to snap her neck and I could see the absolute terror on her face as she looked at me. I couldn't handle it.

"Stop, please! Don't do this. Please Eric, I can't take anymore of this. I'm not like you, I can't live knowing that I just stood here and let you kill her. I know what she did to me." I looked at her and I could see that she was not comprehending what I was saying. "I know that she hurt me, and that she is a terrible, awful person. But, if I let this happen, what does that make me? Please, can't you just Glamour her into something that is just terrible and let her live." I felt the tears spilling over my eyes as they all just stared at me. Bill and Eric were speechless, their mouths hung open as my knee's began to wobble.

Amelia could see that I was quickly swaying, and wrapped her arm around me for support. I was so afraid that Eric was going to be angry with me, upset that I was weak. I couldn't go through with it, I couldn't be an accomplice to yet another murder. I felt sick, I felt lightheaded. All I wanted was for someone to speak, someone to tell me that I was fine and I was not a failure to my husband's pride.

"Sookie, do you really want me to let her live, after everything she did to you, to us?" I could hear the confusion in his voice and it all but knocked me over. I couldn't even look up, afraid to see the hurt in his eyes.

"Yes." It was all I could manage to whisper. I ran out of the house and quickly took off in his car. I wanted to be out of her house, away from the sight of her bloody and hysterical self. I just wanted out. I sped through the dark streets and cried the entire way home. What was he going to think of me? What was he going to say to me?

I pulled into the garage and ran into the house. I jumped about ten feet when I saw him standing in the hallway. He was home before me and waiting for me. I screamed as I was shocked that he was still not at Selah's house. I fell backwards and he of course used his speed to catch me before I hit the ground.

"Sookie, what is going on? What has happened?" I could hear the confusion and the shock in his voice.

"Oh God Eric. I'm so sorry, I'm sorry that you must think that I'm weak and that I'm not good enough to be married to you. I just couldn't handle the thought of another person dying. I'm not like all of you, I can't kill someone and be fine with it. It hurts me, it makes me feel sick and makes me hate myself. I just want this to be over, I want this all to be over. Please, I am so sorry, I am so sorry." I was crying, hoping he would be able to forgive my sudden change of attitude.

"Sookie, you have nothing to be sorry for. I know that you are not a killer. I know that you are not like me, or Bill, or Pam. If you were having doubts you should have told me." He was trying his best to sound comforting, but I could tell that there was a current of anger beneath it.

"Eric, I was afraid that you would hate me. I was scared that you would think that I was too weak and not good enough for you. I mean, if I can't handle a little revenge, how the hell am I ever going to be married to a King?" As soon as I said King I began sobbing, again. I really hated the idea of our life being changed more than it already had.

He tightened his grip on me and picked me up, carrying me to the bathroom. My body was so tired from crying and from the emotions that I had been feeling over the past days. I had thought that I had put the thought of this King business out of my head, now it was all crashing back. Eric drew a bath and this time I didn't make him take it alone.

**EPOV-**

Bill successfully gained entrance into her house and it wasn't too much longer until I was able to join him. He had mildly Glamoured her, allowing her to dispose of the wards that were surrounding the house. He wanted her fairly coherent and knowing what was happening around her when it all came down to it.

I crashed through the door and saw her eyes grow wide with fear. She instantly knew that Bill had manipulated his way inside and slapped him. His fangs ran out and he had her by the throat. It was comical, watching Bill take out his anger on that fucking bitch. He was yelling and demanding answers, and in return all she did was stare at him. I know that Bill is all high and mighty about his southern manners, but let me tell you, her wasn't very gentlemanly with her.

He tossed her against the wall as though she were a fucking rag doll, I laughed as she crumpled to the ground. Fucking bitch deserved everything she was about to get. I walked over to her and grabbed a fistful of her dark hair and forced her to look at my face.

"Do you know why I am here?" I spat, making sure she could understand. All she did was start to chant something. This pissed me off, I hated witches. I thought about crushing her voice box, but then I wouldn't be able to hear her beg for her life or beg for mercy. As much as I hate hitting women, I let my hand fly and connected with her cheek. All I let myself think about was the fact that she had hurt my Sookie so deeply.

I felt myself growing tired, but I had not exerted any energy? What was going on? I looked at Bill and he too seemed a little off. He walked towards us and yanked her up off the ground, letting himself get a good swipe on her also. She was bleeding a great deal and it took all that we had not to give into the lust that was consuming us. She was fighting us, and she actually was putting up a pretty good fight. What the fuck was going on? Then it hit me, the chanting, the weakness…magic.

I heard something and then saw Sookie and her witch friend come running in the room. Her friend seemed to be concentrating on the words coming out of her mouth.

"Eric, she's trying to lessen your strength. She is trying to weaken you and your mind. But, she's a little off? Did you Glamour her or something?" No shit she's trying to weaken me. And yes she's been Glamoured, how the fuck do you think we got in here?

I had putting up with this long enough and decided that it was time to end it. I made a motion to end her fucking miserable life and I saw something happen to Sookie. She became panicked.

"Stop, please! Don't do this. Please Eric, I can't take anymore of this. I'm not like you, I can't live knowing that I just stood here and let you kill her. I know what she did to me. I know that she hurt me, and that she is a terrible, awful person. But, if I let this happen, what does that make me? Please, can't you just Glamour her into something that is just terrible and let her live." What the fuck did she just say? Bill and I just stared at her, not registering what just happened. I saw her body start to wobble and was happy that her friend was in a position to help her.

I confirmed that she did in fact want me to leave her alive and before I knew it, she was gone. I hear my car speeding away. I looked at Bill and advised him to Glamour her, make her believe something truly heinous, something that would impact the rest of her life. I ran out of the house and flew home, I arrived before she even got there.

**SPOV-**

I relaxed against his chest as we sat in the hot water. I was still crying, but at least I had my sobs under control. I couldn't tell if he was upset with me or not. Right now I was still too concerned with how our life could change if he were to accept the position of King. He ran his fingers over my skin and I felt the goose bumps form on my flesh. I shivered a little under his touch.

"You should have told me. You should have let me know that this was upsetting you. The other night you wanted nothing more than to have this done with." His voice was no longer laced with anger, he was now simply, concerned.

"I know. I thought that I was fine with all of this. Really, I thought that I would just be able to go about my business and forget that everything had happened. But it just kept getting worse and worse. The guilt and the fear has just been eating away at me, Eric, I'm sorry. I guess I'm not as strong as I thought." I laid my head against his hard chest and closed my eyes.

"Sookie, you are the strongest person I know. You have survived more than most people, and you are a better person because of it. Don't ever think of yourself as weak, ever." He kissed my shoulder and held me. It was exactly what I needed.

"Eric, I'm afraid of you becoming King. I don't want our life to change. I'm sorry and I know it's selfish. I just want things to stay the way they are. I know it's a huge honor for you, and I know that you'll make a great King. I'll stand by you know matter what. I love you." He didn't respond to me, I could tell that he was busy letting my words sink in.

We got out of the bath and I dried off, realizing that it was still fairly early in vampire standards. I knew that Eric was considering accepting the royal position, I could see his pride and his joy when it was mentioned to him. He really would make an excellent King. He is fair, he is smart, and he had more than enough experience. I guess I would come to accept it, eventually.

His cell phone rang and it was not one of his disposable phones, it was his personal line. He answered and seemed a little concerned and agitated.

"Tonight? Are you certain that this can't be put off any longer? Fine, we will be there. I will contact Pam and make arrangements." He hung up the phone and looked at me, I did not like the look.

"Sookie, we need to go to Nevada. Sandy has let me know that they need to appoint a new member to the throne, tonight. Not having a head of the states for this long is putting our territories in a weakened position. We will only be gone for a short time, do you have a dress that is appropriate for a coronation?" He had a glimmer of happiness in his eye.

"Um, I'm sure that I can find something." I walked to my closet and pushed through the clothes to the back where most of my dresses and gowns were located. "Eric, are we alright? Are you upset with me?" I hung my head, afraid to hear his answer.

"My love, we will always be alright. I love you more than anything and I will always love you. I want you to be happy and if that means allowing people that have harmed you to live, that is what I will do. Your happiness is more important to me than anything." He put his finger under my chin and raised my face so that I was looking into his eyes. He was so beautiful, he was mine.

I found a simple black, strapless dress and packed it, along with some regular clothes. I grabbed one of Eric's tux's and we were ready to go in less than half an hour. When I came down stairs Eric as getting off the phone with Pam. He needed to give her instructions on having the bar taken care of in their absence. Pam would be joining us in Las Vegas also. If Eric was going to be crowned King his child was sure as hell going to be there.

We locked the house up and met at the airport, private jet fueled and waiting. Eric could feel my anxiety through the bond and he just held my hand, calming me. I looked at him and committed to memory this moment. For all I knew this might be the last time that we would be Sookie and Eric, not King Northman and um… Queen?

"You would make an exquisite Queen lover." It was as if he was reading my mind. I closed my eyes and turned my head so I could look out the window, not wanting him to see the silent tear that dripped from my eye.

The plane must have been making record speed because we were there faster than I ever expected. I was a bundle of nerves as we checked into our hotel room. Pam kept looking at me, unsure of what was going on. She was a master at reading peoples emotions and I knew that she was desperate to get me alone to talk to me.

"Eric, why don't you call Sandy and let her know that we have checked in. I'll see that our little Sookie gets to the room safely." She was bored, but ready to pounce on me. As soon as we were out of sight the questions began.

"So my little telepath friend, why are you so uneasy tonight? What seems to have you on edge?" She never looked at me, just kept walking.

"I'm just nervous Pam. I know it's selfish, but I don't like the idea of Eric being around all of this political stuff. I like the way our life is, I don't want things to change. I love my life, I love Eric. I know it's wrong, but it's just how I feel." I felt ashamed as saying the words.

"Sookie, honey, Eric would make a fabulous King. He would be able to protect you and your life more. He would have better access to security and everything. It isn't selfish that you want things to stay the same, it is normal. What would be selfish is you demanding that Eric not consider the position, and threaten to leave him if he accepted the position." I gasped, I would never demand anything of Eric.

"Pam, I would never force Eric into refusing anything, especially something this important. If this is something that he really wants I will learn to accept it, just like I learned to accept all of this political shit in the first place. He is the most important thing to me, no matter what position he holds." I looked at her, almost daring her to question my feelings towards her maker.

"I'm glad to hear that. I know that you would never try to change him, just as I know he would never try and change you. You both completely accept each other for who you are, unconditionally. I envy that you know. There is nothing that you wouldn't do for him, and I am grateful for that. Now, lets get ready for this party." She let me into my room and it was filled with fresh flowers. It smelled heavenly.

I twisted my hair up and put on a little more make up than what I would normally wear. Instead of my usual pink lip gloss I decided on a deep, plum shade. I slipped on my dress and my black high heels and I was ready. I looked in the mirror and tried to steady myself. The last time I was in Vegas, less than a week ago I found out all of the information. I killed the vampire king and saved my husband. Now, I'm getting ready to possibly see my husband be made the next vampire king. How the hell did my life turn out like this?

I walked out of the bathroom and found Pam and Eric waiting for me. Both of their fangs ran out when they saw me and I had to laugh a little. Eric looked irresistible in his designer tux, he really did look good enough to be king. Pam was stunning in a floor length, navy blue gown. She may be the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. We walked hand and hand to the gathering, Eric sending calm and love through the bond. Trying to assure me that everything was going to be alright. Despite his best efforts, I still couldn't settle my nerves. I couldn't wait to have myself a cocktail.

We entered the Grand Hall and I immediately saw Sandy looking nothing more than regal. She was glowing, and not her usual vampire glow. She looked positively happy. She saw us and practically glided her way over to us. She nodded to Eric and Pam and she actually gave me a hug, an honest to God hug? What the hell? Anyway, I hugged her back and hoped that my face wasn't giving away my shock.

"Eric, might I have a word with you before we get started?" She smiled at him and I knew she wanted to talk about her being named Queen over him taking the throne.

"Certainly Sandy. Just let me get my girls here something to drink and I will be right with you." He was kind enough to bring Pam some type of blood in a champagne flute and he brought me a very strong gin and tonic. He kissed me softly and met her in the corner.

I watched them intently, desperately wishing that I could hear their thoughts. They seemed to be cordial, there was nothing standing out as aggressive. I studied their moves, their body language. Both of their faces lacked any emotion, damned vampires. Them Sandy handed him something, something small. I couldn't even see what it was, but whatever he was holding seemed to be something significant. He closed his hand around it and placed it in his pocket. They exchanged a few more words and parted ways.

He found me finishing my drink and quickly ordered me another. I wrapped my arms around him and I buried my face in his chest, hoping I didn't get makeup on his fancy suit.

"So, what was that all about?" I tried to sound like I wasn't spying.

"Nothing really. She just wanted to know my intentions and was feeling me out. I told her that I was still unsure, but she would know along with the rest of the guests." He sounded so confident, so cool.

"So does that mean that you are going to accept the throne if it is offered to you?" I tried to sound steady and sure of myself. I tried to sound strong and brave.

"I think that I am. It is what is best, what is right. It will be better for all of us." My body froze as I heard his words. Nothing will ever be the same, nothing will ever be as it was. I smiled at him, kissed his mouth very softly and whispered a congratulations into his ear. It was all I could get out.

Just as he was about to say something the MC began speaking. He explained the reason that everyone was called and that the throne would have a new member in a matter of moments. The crowd cheered with anticipation. I was witnessing history, and I knew that soon I would be part of it.

Sandy was called on stage along with Eric and I. It made me very uncomfortable, but I knew being his bonded and his wife made me a part of this entire thing. If Eric was crowned King, I was most likely going to be given some type of title as well, be it Queen or whatever. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I walked hand and hand with my vampire. He calmed me, loved me, relaxed me. All I could do was smile and nod, smile and nod.

Once we were settled on the stage, in front of everyone the reality of the situation hit me. I needed to start acting like a queen and accept the fact that this was the start of many public engagements. I released the tension in my shoulders and held my head high. I turned towards Eric and gave his hand a squeeze, letting him know that I was with him, with all my heart.

As Sandy's name was announced the crowd cheered. But, when Eric's name was announced it was a thunderous applause. It was obvious who had earned the position, and Sandy could see that she was going to be defeated. She glanced over to me and then to Eric. I didn't want to look at her, I just wanted to go home. But, if Eric is now King, where is home? He stepped forward, ready to speak. I can only assume that he needed to make some type of acceptance speech.

"Ladies and Gentleman, I am honored and humbled by your faith in my ability to lead you. There have been so many changes in our community in the past few years, and your belief in me is astounding. I am forever in your debt. With that being said, I must regretfully decline the position of King." He looked back at me, his eyes glowing. " At this time, it would be in the best interest of both me and my Bonded to simply walk away. Sandy will make a fine Queen, a powerful Queen, and she will have my assistance whenever needed. Thank you for this great honor, and please accept my sincerest regrets." I felt the tears fall from my eyes. He walked to me, catching my tears with his finger. He kissed me and scooped me up. He turned towards Sandy and they had an unspoken conversation. The next thing I knew I heard the room applauding as Sandy accepted the throne.

We were back in our hotel room and we hadn't spoken yet. I could feel the emotions coming off of him. I took his face in mine and just looked in his eyes.

"Why? You know that I would have stood by you. You know that I would have been proud to have you be King." I tried to see the emotion in him, tried to feel him.

"I heard you. I heard you talking to Pam when you were walking to the room. You told her that you would stand by me no matter what and that you would never try and change me. Sookie, I know that you would have stood by me and I know that you would have grown used to the idea of me being King. But, me taking this position would almost be like me forcing you into something that you are not wanting to do. What does that make me? I'm happy being Sheriff, I'm happy with our life. I would never want you to have to accept something just because I decided it was right." I could feel all of the love that I had for him come flooding through. I kissed him like I have never kissed him before.

We flew home the very next night. I did not want to stay in Vegas, I wanted to get home and celebrate. It was our one year anniversary. One year as Mrs. Eric Northman. I sat on his lap and nuzzled his neck, completely happy with out current state. Last night I was so consumed by his act of selflessness that I forgot to ask about the item that Sandy had given him.

I tore my lips away from his neck and purred in his ear.

"So, are you going to tell me what Sandy gave you last night? Was it the key to her hotel room? A special trinket, something special for just the two of you?" I kissed his ear and let my tongue trace the outline of his jaw.

"Yes lover, it was something special, special in so many ways." He reached into his pocket and he held his hand out to me. I opened my hand and he dropped his wedding band into my palm. I cried tears of joy, pure unadulterated joy.

"How did she get this? I thought you said Felipe took it?" I was so overcome with the joy of seeing his ring.

"It was in his pocket. After he turned to nothing but ash, this was left behind. Sandy saw it laying in the ash and knew it was mine. She wanted to return it to me." His eyes were focused on the ring, glowing with the intensity the I loved.

I slipped the ring on his finger and watched as red stained the whites of his eyes. I kissed the finger that it once again rested on and wrapped my fingers around his. We were once again complete.

"Happy Anniversary my love" He nuzzled my neck, causing my body to tremble. My name is Sookie Northman. I have been to hell and back. I have seen things and felt things that no person should have to experience. I am forever changed, for better and for worse. Despite everything that has happened to me, everything that I have done, seen, felt, heard, lived through, I did not break, I will not break, not for anyone.

**EPOV-**

Just in case you were wondering, Selah still got what was coming to her. Yes, I told Sookie that I would not kill her, I knew she was having an inner struggle with the things that were happening all around her. I had Bill Glamour her into giving away all of her money. I had Bill convince her that she was a drug addict, recovering drug addict. I also had Bill put in her head that in about two years she was going to have a relapse, and it was going to be a deadly one. In about two years we'll be reading to paper and we'll come across an article about the once wealthy Selah Pumphrey, how it is such a shame that such a promising realtor was found dead of an apparent drug overdose, needle in arm, in a drug house. Hey, I didn't kill her. Fucking sweet, right.

Now about those Vegas vamps that were involved in Sookie's attack. When I spoke to Sandy the night of the coronation I told her that I knew who was involved. We shared words about what my plan was, and she was not to happy with my plan of revenge. They were after all part of her territory. She eyed me up and down, knowing that I could give a shit about her opinion. I looked at her and thought about the words that I heard Sookie say to Pam. She was right, She would never ask me to change for her. But me being here, thinking about accepting this position. Wasn't that me asking her to change her entire fucking life?

I was overcome by guilt. I have always been a selfish, manipulative bastard. She has been through too much, I could give her this. I looked at Sandy and made her promise me that these vamps would be killed before the sun rose. She agreed and she handed me my wedding ring. My dead heart knew that I had made the right decision. I wrapped my fingers around it and needed to hold back the emotion. The last thing I said to Sandy was that I wanted proof, proof of their death. She smiled at me, she's always been creative. I can't wait to see what awaits me.

It is our anniversary, tradition states that I give her something with paper. I am nothing if not traditional. While she was asleep earlier I made a few calls. She's going to fucking kill me, but hell, I'm already dead. When we arrive home she'll be given papers to her new car. I'm fucking sick of her driving my corvette like a Grandma. Yes, when we get home she will be the proud new owner of another piece of Swedish machinery. A brand new Volvo will be waiting, bow and all.

END


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